Myths
by TheLittlePenguin
Summary: Myths do not end with happy endings. Yes, a few do. But this story is not about a fairytale, where the princess marries the prince. It is a story of two mythical creatures, who never got their happy ending.
1. Chapter 1

Isabella

"Ian!" I hissed.

He looked up, then followed my gaze to the ground. There were two large, white feathers that had fallen from where I was standing.

"Shit." He muttered, and quickly picked them up before anyone could notice. I cussed aloud in my head.

"Put it in my bag quickly." I ordered urgently. He fumbled with the zips, swearing quietly. The other students walked past us, staring.

_"Those two are as good looking as the Cullens!" One of the girls squealed._

_"Oh God, that boy has eyes I could die for," Another one sighed. "Check out his biceps. Totally hot."_

_"I need him so bad..." A girl cooed._

_"That girl is one hell of a beauty." The soccer team watched me playfully._

_"I'm totally asking her to prom."_

_"I'd rate Rosalie Hale 10. This chick is 9 and a half."_

_"No, this chick is definitely 10. Let's see how the Cullens will react to the two of them. Will that - what's his name - be able to resist such a good catch?"_

_"Edward Cullen? If he doesn't fall for her, he's gay."_

The whole team snickered.

Ian stuffed the feathers into my bag, and zipped it securely. I ground my teeth together. This shouldn't be happening. Not now where there were people and curious on lookers everywhere. Ian and I were both wearing matching clothes. We were twins, by nature, and we looked exactly alike, except that I had the extreme feminine features, while he was masculine - a typical guy any girl would want.

He put one arm around my shoulder, and led me towards the office building, trying hard to ignore the giggles and cat callings of the student population. The office was warm, with a rather friendly atmosphere. A motherly-looking lady at the counter greeted us. She introduced herself as Ms. Cope.

"Good morning," Ian smiled. "My name is Ian, and this is my sister Isabella. We are new here."

The lady keyed in our names into the system, and read the information. "Ah yes," She smiled. "Isabella and Ian Swan?"

"That's right," Ian answered.

"Please wait a moment," She said politely, and disappeared into the door beside the counter.

My mouth had turned dry.

"What should I do?" I whispered to Ian.

"I will request for the same time table as you," He said in a low voice. "Nothing will happen, don't worry."

I could feel things moving in my bag. The feathers were trying to get out - it was uncomfortable in there. I could feel their pain almost immediately. Something light brushed past my ankles, and I quickly picked another fallen feather up. _My wings were breaking apart._

Ian frowned, and quickly put it in my bag again. I wanted to protest, but he was older. It was right that I listened to him.

"I need the sun." My hands clenched the table.

"Bear with it."

"They can't stand it. I've been hiding them under my shirt for the whole day. The need the air and sunlight."

"Bear with it."

Ms. Cope returned with two stacks of papers, explaining to us the routes around the school, and our time tables.

"May I have the same time table as my brother?" I asked.

She blinked. "Well, you are strongly encouraged to mix around with the other kids."

"Please?"

I lifted my hand, touching my hair, and at the same time, sending invisible waves of magic through the air. Ian felt it almost immediately, and looked at me, smug.

"Of course, darling!" Ms. Cope smiled, and hurried to change my time table. I felt proud of myself. My magic worked.

Ian hid a smile. He was more powerful than me. In fact, he was the second most powerful faerie in the world. Above him was the King of faeries. Ms. Cope returned with our time tables, and we thanked her, walking out. Ian's wings were perfectly hidden underneath his shirt.

"Your skirt's too short, sister." He murmured, when he caught the boys staring at my legs.

"Look at the girls," I mumured back to him.

All the girls literally jumped when he smiled at them. Their books dropped from their arms, and they flushed, picking them up. One of the guys - a rugby captain - I assumed, came up to me. He was huge, with a charming smile playing on his lips.

"Hello there," He chuckled.

"Hi," I replied.

The whole team shouted in amazement when I'd decided to open my mouth and talk to him.

"Definately not one of the Cullens," They confirmed.

I blinked a few times, and smiled. He stared for awhile, then composed his features. "My name is Josh." He held out his hand.

"Isabella." I shook his hand lightly, and gestured to Ian. "This is my brother, Ian."

"Hey!" Josh punched Ian's shoulders lightly.

"It's nice to meet you," Ian grinned. "You were speaking of the Cullens? May I know who they are?"

Before Josh could answer, a pretty blonde stepped up, and answered his question. "They are this group of adopted siblings who just moved here. They're really stuck up - don't talk much."

"Where did they come from?" I asked, feeling Ian tense.

"Alaska." She replied. "But they're freaking weird. I mean, their parents love to take them out to camp. It's the 21st century. Who in the world does that? And they sit in one group in the cafeteria. They get their food, but throw them away when the bell rings. Really, people in Africa are starving."

I looked at Ian. _Vampires_. That was interesting.

"They don't talk to you guys?" Ian asked.

"Nope. They think their too good for us," Josh laughed, along with the rest of the other students. "They don't even greet us. Only the little sister, Alice, does. She's a great chick. Too bad she's taken."

The bell rang shrilly, and I crouched down, covering my ears. This was by far, the worst thing I've ever heard on earth.

"Hey, you okay?" Josh asked. Everybody was staring at me, and I stood up quickly.

"Yeah, she's okay." Ian smiled, and offered to help me up. "She's just feeling a little dizzy."

I took his hand, and he pulled me to my feet.

"You take care," The blond smiled, and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Thank you." I said.

"Sure," She replied, shrugging. "By the way, my name is Beth."

Without saying another word, she ran off to the other block. Josh said a good-bye to Ian, and the whole rugby team moved for chemistry. I checked my time table.

Biology. _Dissecting of plants_.


	2. Chapter 2

.Isabella.

I felt almost sick, as I stepped into the biology lab. All the plants were lined up in a single row on the tables.

The thought of having plants being cut up in front of me was terrifying. It seemed as if I was watching my own race - my world - die every minute. Ian seemed completely at ease. He was used to this. The teacher was Mr. Banner. He signed our slips.

"Welcome, Mr. and Miss. Swan." He smiled warmly. "You may take a seat behind Mr. Cullen at the back."

_Cullen_. My head snapped up, and I turned to look at a pale, bronze haired boy who was staring out of the window. He seemed as if he were distracting himself from the scents of all the students around him. Ian and I shared a brief look, before walking down the aisle.

The class watched us as we moved gracefully to our seats right at the back. Edward Cullen looked at me for a split second, before turning back and taking his notes out.

"Alright, class. Please do not keep staring at Mr. and Miss. Swan. They need to feel comfortable." Mr. Banner ordered, clapping his hands. The students reluctantly turned back to face the whiteboard.

The lesson started, where there was an introduction of the species of plant types, their cell structure, and adaptation. I was close to falling asleep during the lesson. Ian had to pinch me once in awhile to keep me awake. I got absolutely bored, and decided that I should start drawing on my note pad.

I drew a picture of my homeland, with the sun shining brightly, and faeries sleeping beneath big flame trees and among the grass. The white fluffy clouds seemed to bloom like the flowers. Ian looked at the picture and smiled. He knew that I missed home.

I decided to write notes to him, questioning him about the vampire in front.

**Who is that Cullen in front of us?**

_Edward Cullen. He's a mind reader. 109 years old._

**Can he read our minds?**

_No, he cannot. But if we use magic, we can read his._

**Have you tried that?**

_Yes. He knows we're different - we only produce a sweet scent to them. Like honey. They can't smell any traces of blood on us._

**We don't even have blood. Of course he can't smell it.**

_The fluid in our body is our blood. The humans call it 'plant sap'. He can't figure out what we are. He's close to giving up - I may be wrong, tough._

**What happens if he finds out that we're faeries?**

_Then we're as good as dead. But we can run faster than them. They think they're the fastest, but we run twice as fast. Our wings give us more support._

**Will he figure it out?**

_We have to be careful. Always,_

**Okay.**

_I know this may sound ridiculous, and I hope it will NEVER happen. You cannot love a vampire. It's forbidden. You can be killed by the council if they know._

**Why would I love him?**

_He can charm you into loving him._

That was really quite impossible. But then again, what could vampires NOT do? The smell of his skin was quite appealing - in a manly way.

I shoved my notepad under the table when I spotted Mr. Banner walking towards us. Ian and I smiled at him when he reached our seats.

"Everything okay?" He asked. "Was I going too fast? Can you catch up?"

"Yes, we're fine, thank you." Ian replied.

Mr. Banner grinned and handed us a five cell samples. "If you need help, you can ask Mr. Cullen over here." He said, patting the vampire's shoulders.

"Of course, Mr. Banner." Edward said quietly.

"He's a good kid." The teacher announced proudly. "Tops the class in every test."

"That's nice," I said.

Cullen turned around to face me. Ian kept his face composed, though I felt his muscles flexing. Mr. Banner walked down the aisle, checking on all the students, lecturing a few who tried to break the microscope.

"Hello," I said, extending a hand. "My name is Isabella."

"Edward." He replied curtly, but didn't shake my hand. Ian ignored us, and slid the slides under the microscope, observing.

Edward turned back, and started on his experiment. Ian gave me a disapproving look, before pushing the slides to me. I watched, under the microscope, the helpless little cells trapped in the jelly-like substance. My heart ached for them, my eyes tearing.

"_Ar sorria, lilu plante_," I whispered. (I'm sorry, little plant.)

Ian nudged me, giving me an 'are-you-crazy?!' look. And I realised what I had just done, covering my mouth.

During the next half an hour, I bit my lip. I'm sure Edward Cullen had heard me. He was just pretending not to notice.

Ian and I had no problems navigating around the school. We had math, chemistry and literature, before having lunch.

The cafeteria was crowded, and I got a salad, while Ian ate an apple, picking on my food once in awhile. We never ate meat - it wasn't part of our diet. We only ate vegetables, and fruits. I once ate a slice of chicken, and landed in bed for three weeks.

Josh and Beth sat with us. A few of the soccer team players joined in.

"Look at them, see the way they walk?" Beth whispered into my ear. "It scares people sometimes. Like, you know...too graceful."

Edward Cullen was seated at the far end of the cafeteria. Once in awhile, his eyes flickered to me. A minute later, a blond girl, and a boy who looked exactly like her walked in. Rosalie and Jasper Hale. Following them was Emmett Cullen and Alice Cullen. I knew all of them very well.

"That girl is beautiful. I mean, who can't see that? But she looks so proud. I think you're prettier." Beth giggled.

I smiled, and continued to eat my salad. Josh was trying to get Ian to join the rugby team, but he wasn't interested. The boys had to have mass showers where they had to take off their shirts and all that. If my brother took off his shirt, it's the end.

Out of curiosity, I decided to listen to Edward Cullen's thoughts.

_What is she? There is no blood running in her veins. I can't even hear a heart beat._

Alice Cullen; _SHOPPING!_

I smirked. She really is weird.

So, Edward Cullen was trying to figure out what I was. _Interesting._

"I'm going to return this bowl," I told Beth, and slid out of my seat.

Little Alice danced along, and dumped her tray into the bin. I smiled at her, and her answering smile was dazzling.

"You're new here?" She spoke, her voice high and bell-like.

I nodded. "That's right."

"Oh, well. Have a great day!" She chirped, and skipped back to where Jasper was seated.

Ian looked at me from his seat. He grinned once, then turned back.


	3. Chapter 3

Isabella

Beth and I sort of clicked. I don't know how it happened, but it just did. It was as if there was a strong sense of connection between us - we get along really well, even though we had just met.

"What kind of perfume do you use? I mean, not to be forward, but you smell like you've just rolled around a lavender farm." She babbled. "You smell really awesome, you know that? Ian too. Does your home have some air purifier that comes with flower scents, or something? When the two of you are close, the air around you guys literally smells like flowers. But your brother is a little different. He smells like the bark of a tree - it's a very manly smell, like a really nice, cool smell."

I laughed, and shrugged. "Um, we don't really use any particular brand of soap."

It was normal for faeries to smell exceptionally good. We were always around flowers, nature. Our bodies were really like plants - giving out flowery scents. We bathed with water, without soap or shampoo. I tried to use shampoo once, and my hair turned dry and dead.

"Oh, hey, there's something on the ground," Beth said, and ran forwards, bending down to reach for something.

I froze for one second. It was a feather.

Beth gently picked the feather up, and brought it close to her nose. "Wow," She said. "Believe it or not, I have never smelled something so fragrant before. Do birds smell so good? But then again, this feather is _huge_. And so white. It can't belong to any bird that flew in. Well, in the first place, no bird actually flies into the school compound."

"Yeah, of course." I forced out, and then unlocking my locker to take my books out.

"Can I keep it? I mean, it's rare to find one of these around school, and, it glows!" She shouted excitedly.

The students started to stare at her, wondering what she was holding. I didn't know if she could keep it. Our feathers were different. They could do magic, if they wished. If only Ian was beside me, then he could think of something.

"Um, Beth!" I called. "I'm heading home now."

"Do you need a ride home? I drove here." She offered.

I shook my head. "It's alright. Ian will meet me outside."

"You sure?"

"Yeah!"

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow!" She waved.

"See you!" I shouted, and jogged out of the building, hardly paying attention to the guys whistling and calling my name.

Ian was outside, standing by his car. It was a black convertible - shiny and new. I clutched my books tightly to my chest, and hurried to his side, wanting to tell him about Beth and the feather. My ears were so attuned to nature, that I was listening to the birds singing, and I didn't hear a booming, loud horn that was blowing at me.

"Isabella!" Ian shouted. I looked at him. His face was turned into a mask of horror. For a moment, I was confused, wondering what was happening. Ian dashed across, and pushed me to the ground. A sickening screech filled my senses, and I cowered back, covering my ears. Ian's arms were around me in an instant. I stared at the wheels - at the car - that was parked before me.

"I-I'm so sorry, Isabella!" A peal of bells apologised. I looked up, and Alice Cullen stood before me, her eyes wide. I could see her scanning around widely, looking for any traces of blood on me, fearing for the worst. Edward Cullen appeared literally out of nowhere, and stared at me.

Ian's worried gaze was awful to look at. You could literally feel his pain. He wrapped one arm around my waist and pulled me up, covering my right hand, which had transparent liquid flowing out of it. The parking lots were empty, and I was thankful for that.

"Are you alright?" Edward asked quietly, relieved that I wasn't bleeding. It angered me somehow - I didn't know why.

"Yes, I'm alright." I snapped. "I'm not bleeding, as you can see." The two Cullens flinched at the thought of blood on me.

"I'm really sorry. I was thinking of something and I didn't see you approaching." Alice said.

_Didn't see me in the future, or didn't see me with your own eyes? You were obviously entertained by your future-telling skills._ I thought grimly.

"You can go to the hospital to check if you're okay." Edward said. "Our father works there. He wouldn't charge you any bills."

"We're not poor." I glared at him.

There was a smile tugging on his lips. "I don't mean that. It is our fault. We were not really watching the road."

"Then be careful next time," Ian said quietly, and took my books which had fallen with me just now.

Edward's jaw hardened. "We will. But, Isabella, please do go to the hospital to confirm that you are okay."

"I don't want to," I snapped. "And watch where you're driving. You'll probably hit a whole bunch of freshmen next time."

Alice and Edward exchanged a brief look. Edward seemed entertained by my anger. But Alice looked like she was about to cry from guilt.

"Let's go, Ian," I said quietly, tugging on his shirt.

Without a word, Ian opened the door of the passenger seat, and I slid in gratefully. He shut the door, and got into his seat next to me, revering the engine. Alice quickly got into her car, and reversed back, giving Ian space to drive out. Through the rear view mirror, I watched Edward stare after our car.

"_Healia woulandra_," I whispered, and my torn skin grew back together magically.

"Are you alright?" Ian asked.

"Stupid vampires," I muttered, and he laughed.

"You scared me, you know. I wouldn't know what I would have done if you were hurt," He said, his eyes fixed on the road. "But in a way, I was glad this whole accident happened."

"Why?" I asked.

He looked at me for awhile, before turning back. "I read her thoughts. She was having a vision of _you_."

"Me? What was it about?"

"You were in a forest, with Edward Cullen. Your wings were in full bloom." He said in a hard tone.

I felt my eyes grow wide as I listened to his words.

Ian sighed. "I had to use very strong magic to keep every vision of you away from her. They must never know what we are. What disturbs me about the vision is that, you seemed so comfortable with him. Even your wings were glowing. You two seemed so in love."

I shook my head. "You know that will never happen."

"Nothing is certain."

"I know my priorities. I know my people come before life itself."

Ian kept one hand on the steering wheel, and placed the other on mine.

"We have to fight for our land," He said quietly. "We must never let those filthy cold ones touch Ivantide."

Ivantide - our homeland. The sacred kingdom that was resting upon a rich source of crystal that was known as 'Javs'. The Volturi have wanted the crystals for centuries now, and many faeries have died, protecting our land.

Javs were magical - they were said to be the most powerful form of nature. They had the ability to change the force of gravity, or kill an army, depending on how large the Javs were. They could do anything.

"Beth kept one of my feathers." I said. "Is that okay?"

Ian stiffened.

"I don't know." He said in a tight voice.

"Beth wouldn't know anything. She's not as bright as she looks." I laughed nervously.

"Maybe you're right." Ian said. "But just be careful."

The rest of the journey was quiet. Our house was at the end of a street. We had a whole plot of land to ourselves. Behind the house was a forest, and within the forest was where the Cullens stayed.

It was the perfect location for us.


	4. Chapter 4

.Isabella.

The moment I stepped through the door, I stripped out of my blouse immediately, not caring if the neighbours were looking in. I sat by the open window, and untied the magical weed that secured my wings to my back. Ian quickly closed the door, as he came in.

"Acacia!" He fumed, spitting my name Tarian name. Every faerie was named after a plant, even though we had normal, human names. All faeries was known as the Tarians - a population that was more in number than vampires.

"I need the sun," I complained, letting my wings absorb all the sunlight it could get. It felt better than taking a hot shower. My muscles relaxed instantly.

"Are you crazy? The neighbours might see you!"

"We built this house at the end of the street, so that we could have our privacy," I reasoned. "Besides, it's not as if I'm half naked. I'm still wearing a bra."

"Yeah, well, in ten seconds, you're going to unhook your bra." He sighed, and walked into the kitchen, taking out a bottle of peppermint water, in which we had extracted from the peppermint leaf itself. Sure enough, I started to unhook the buckles behind to release a few of the other feathers that were trapped between. I used a cloth that was hanging by the window to cover my front.

"Here," He tossed the peppermint water to me. "Drip a few drops on any part of your back. It helps your wings."

"Thanks," I smiled, and let the cool liquid touch my skin, where it slowly trickled down to gather into the feathers.

Ian took off his shirt, and yanked the weed away from his chest. His perfect wings flared open immediately, undisturbed, and in the best condition. He stood next to me for awhile, letting the sun touch his wings, before whispering, "_Perfectra awinga_."

It was a tingling sensation that almost tickled. The feathers on my back started to shift, and they slowly freed themselves from my skin, spreading delicately.

Ian was already using his magic to clean the house.

His wings were special - only one in a million faeries would have been born with his kind of wings. Under direct sunlight, the feathers would glow very brightly, indicating that he was extremely powerful. My feathers only glowed faintly, as did many of the other faeries.

"Show off," I smiled.

"Too bad," He retorted jokingly.

"You know that guy that lives down the street - the one who waves at us every morning before we go to school?" He said.

I nodded my head. "Yeah, why?"

"Stay away from him. He's a pervert."

I wasn't really used to the term 'pervert'. After all, none of the faeries were perverts. They either liked you, or hated you, and they would express it very openly, unlike humans, who would 'back stab' the moment they say they like you.

Our house was like a nature gallery - very open, and wide. There were vines dangling from the ceiling and walls. All sorts of flowers grew around, at every corner of the house. The chairs and tables were made of glass and canes. There were a total of four levels in the house, and the stairs were made of pure wood.

It was a huge house for two people to live in, but we liked it anyway.

"The Cullens are going out of town for awhile." Ian grinned. "We can go into the the woods today."

I stood up, still holding the cloth. "Really?" I beamed.

Ian chuckled. "It is too sunny - the humans wouldn't come out. Get changed. We can hang among the trees and play with the elks."

I quickly dashed up the stairs, into my room, changing into my short, white dress that didn't cover the back of my skin. The feathers fluttered quietly as I skipped down the stairs.

The kitchen door was already open, and I could see Ian among the green and brown colours of nature. He was only wearing a pair of white, long pants. Gracefully, he ran. The forest always seemed alive when he was around. The trees would sway in rhythm with the wind.

Laughing, I waded my way through the tall grass. My wings started to hum quietly, and I was lifted into the air, till I was as high as the big oak trees. The crickets sang in harmony with the sparrows.

"Acacia!" Ian called my name. I gently lowered my body down, till my feet touched the ground.

"What is it, Caladium?" I asked, as Ian ran towards me.

"_Rialto elkies accelto_," He said excitedly. (Listen to the elks)

I smiled, as the thudding of the elks became louder and louder, till three full grown males ran towards us. Ian laughed, and soared through the air, his strong wings blinding as the sun shone on him. Two of the elks stopped before him, while the other came and leaned his head against my body.

"Hey!" I patted his anthers, amazed by how beautiful his soft fur was. I plucked a handful of grass, and fed him with them. He chewed them down happily.

Ian was already playing with the two elks, chasing after them, and flying once in awhile.

"Come on, let's go to play by the stream," I guided the elk further into the forest. His hooves clapped along with my bare feet. The butterflies started to dance around us. One of them landed on my shoulder, tickling me. I giggled, and gently lifted my hand to stroke its wings.

We reached the stream, where the elk drank thirstily.

I sat down, and lay on the soft grass beneath, my breathings slow, and deep. Closing my eyes, I drifted off to sleep, listening to the music of nature.

...

I was awoken by the tiny pressure that was on my stomach. I opened my eyes, and sat up. A few little bees were buzzing beside me, along with the sparrows at my feet.

"What's the matter?" I asked, sensing that something wasn't quite right. The sparrows chirped, and turned their bodies to face the stream. I looked at the waters. They were clear as crystals. There was nothing wrong. The bees hummed, and flew to the other side of the stream.

I looked across.

There, still as stone, was Edward Cullen.


	5. Chapter 5

Isabella

I jumped back in fright, clamping my hand to my mouth to keep from screaming. The shock and fear in my eyes seemed to echo in his. The sunlight penetrated through the tree leaves, and my wings glowed, fluttering. The bees flew back to my side, and the sparrows hid behind my legs. My breaths came out short, and ragged.

He stood there, staring at me - staring at my glowing wings. My eyes trailed to the ground.

Lying dead by his feet was the elk, drained of blood.

My body started to shake unwillingly. What should I do? If I ran back, he would tell the rest of his family members.

"Please," I whispered, tears welling in my eyes. "Please."

His mouth twitched, and I fell onto the ground, breathing heavily. My legs could not bring themselves up to stand.

_"Remember, you can meet anyone. But never, ever let a vampire see you while your wings are in full bloom. The Volturi has ordered, that they were to kill every faerie that they see before their eyes."_ Ian told me.

The sparrows around me chirped, telling me to run back to Ian. My wings tried to drag my body up, but I stayed rooted in position.

"Please," I begged.

His golden eyes were hard, and he crossed the stream fluidly, coming to kneel before me. My hands trembled violently as his scent reached my nose. I was so close to death.

"Go back," He whispered.

"W-What?" I stammered, still breathing unevenly.

"Go back," He said louder this time, lifting my body with both hands. His hands hit me like ice, and I shivered.

My wings fluttered rapidly, and I started to float away quietly, looking back at him. The sun rays glimmered off his skin, and he crossed the stream, heading back deeper into the woods.

I quickly dried my tears, and took deep breaths. When I passed by the honey comb, the bees rushed out of their homes, and offered me some honey. I dipped my finger into the hive, and drank.

"Thank you," I whispered.

The bees buzzed around me for awhile, then dived back into their homes.

"Acacia!" Ian called, and my wings halted for a second, before continuing.

"Caladium," I kept my voice steady. But his name sounded odd when I was shaking internally.

Ian appeared right next to me, grabbing my hands, and staring deep into my eyes.

"Where have you been?" He demanded.

"I-I was sleeping by the stream."

His eyes narrowed, and he leaned closer, his nose against my skin.

"You ran into one of them," He said, voice deadly.

I shook my head. "I didn't."

"You did."

"I didn't."

"Then why do you smell like them?"

"I-I was drinking honey," I tried to lie pathetically.

"Where did you meet those cold ones?" His eyes were blazing.

"I didn't meet them!"

He sighed in frustration. "Look at your wings! They are sparkling like diamonds! It is when danger is near that they start to shine!"

There was no way I could lie any further.

"By the stream." I whispered. "He didn't hurt me. H-He told me to go back."

"Who's the 'he'?"

"Edward Cullen," My voice was softer than a whisper.

Ian stared at me for awhile. "He let you go just like that?"

I nodded. "He didn't hurt me."

My brother's face was hard. After a few minutes, his eyes softened, and he pulled me into a hug.

"I'm so sorry," He rubbed my back. "You must have been terrified."

_More than terrified._

He released me, and touched my wings. "_Arioso_,"

The feathers started to gather themselves together, and regained their strength, all traces of sparkles gone.

"Come on, let's go home." He said, wrapping one arm around my shoulder.

...

When I awoke the next morning, I sat on my bed, wondering if it had been a dream after all. But when Ian came in to tell me that he wasn't going to join me in school, I realised that my meeting with Edward Cullen was a real, and big issue.

"I have to go back to Ivantide," He said as he packed his passport and money into his bag. I stood by his room door. "You'll have to go to school by yourself, Acacia. I'm sorry."

"No, it's alright," I shrugged. "I'll just hang around with Josh and Beth."

"Mum sent an email to the school. She said that I was on emergency medical leave." He informed me.

"Did you speak to Mum over the phone?" I grimaced.

"Yeah, but it was in a rush. She sends her love."

He slung the back pack over his shoulders, and walked over to me. I wound my arms around his neck.

"Please come back soon," I whispered.

"I will." He promised. "If anything happens, use your magic, and if there is a need, go to Ivantide."

Ivantide was located in a large forest off the South China Sea. Nobody could see the kingdom except for the Tarians. It was invisible to the human eye. Some vampires had sneaked a few glances of the kingdom before, and that was how they found out about the Javs.

"Bye little sister." He hugged me tightly, then handed me his keys to the convertible. "Drive to school. It's safer."

"You take care, okay?" I rubbed his back.

"I will."

With that, he walked out of the gate, and down the street.

The moment he left, I felt a pang of loneliness wash through me. Grabbing an apple, along with my school bag and books, I walked out of the door, sliding into the convertible. It was my first experience driving it, and it was pretty much a smooth journey. I managed to get a parking lot right outside the science building. Through my rear view mirror, I spotted the silver Volvo parked directly opposite of my parking space.

"Isabella!" Josh waved, grinning.

I smiled, and got out of the convertible, locking it behind me.

"Hey, Josh!" I ran up to him. "Why are they Cullens here? Weren't they supposed to be on a field trip or something?"

"Yeah. But it's just Edward Cullen today." He replied.

My skin crawled when I heard his name.

"Well, you look gorgeous today! Flowery dress." He commented, smiling.

I laughed. "I guess I'll head for class."

"Oh, wait! Where's Ian?"

"He's...sick. He won't be around for a few days."

"Oh. See you, then!" He waved.

"Yeah, I'll see you around!"

I half ran, half walked towards the biology lab - my first period for the day. When I entered the room, there were about nine of the students there, chatting happily.

When Edward Cullen saw me, he turned away.


	6. Chapter 6

Isabella

I stood by the door, unsure. There were about seven students in the class. They were seated at the front row, gossiping merrily, and laughing like there was no tomorrow. I had to face up to reality, so I walked in, mumbling 'hi' or 'morning' when my classmates greeted me.

When I reached Edward Cullen's table, he looked at me for a long while, before saying a soft, "Good morning."

"_Good morning_," My voice was barely a whisper when I replied.

He nodded, and pursed his lips.

"Thank you," I said, a little louder this time. "For letting me go yesterday."

"I don't have anything against you. So why should I kill an innocent one?" He shrugged, his golden eyes staring into mine.

"You should have. It's part of the vampire law." I whispered. "You could get killed for defying the order."

"I don't want to kill anybody." His voice was like melted honey.

I swallowed thickly.

"Where's Ian?" He asked, seeing that I was alone.

"He's sick."

"Really? Sick, and travelling Ivantide?" There was a smile tugging on his lips. So he knew where Ian was.

I nodded slowly.

"Would you like to sit here today?" He gestured to the empty sit next to me.

I smiled a little, and slid onto the seat. I could feel his eyes watching my every move.

"Why didn't you follow your family on the field trip?" I asked.

"I wanted to clear things up."

"With me?"

"Yes."

I bit my lip, not knowing what to say.

"So...you know what I am." He said.

"I knew what you were since the beginning." I replied honestly.

"And I always tried to figure out what you were," He mused

I smiled. "Now you know."

He chuckled, and I laughed a little.

"Why didn't you kill me?" I asked quietly, after a moment of silence.

"I saw you dancing with nature." He smiled. "You were so gentle to the elk, even the bees and sparrows wanted to be near you. And your wings..." He shook his head, as if loss for words. "When I watched you sleep, envy washed through me. I wanted to close my eyes, and dream like you did. You were so happy."

"That's why you didn't kill me?"

"I wanted to. But, believe it or not, I have never met a faerie. And when I saw you, I didn't understand why you had to die for no reason. I have killed people, Isabella, and I don't want to start killing faeries now."

"You could get killed killed by the Volturi."

"I'd rather give up my damned soul, and exchange it for one that is filled with love, and joy." He grinned. "I just don't want to be a monster."

"You aren't one." I frowned, shaking my head.

"Really?" He smirked.

"Of course. I mean, you disobeyed the law. And you're willingly to give up your life for a stranger - a faerie. A being you don't even know. If _you _are a monster, than what are the Volturi?"

He looked at me, smiling softly. I found myself gazing at his perfect features. Everything about him seemed to be a carving of an infamous craftsman. He was beyond beautiful - no words could describe him.

"So if I'm not a monster, what am I?" He asked.

Mr. Banner entered, with the rest of the students streaming in after him. The class was filled with noisy chattering, and the poor teacher had to settle them down one by one.

Edward fished out his notes and writing materials in a split second, and got mine out, even before I could reach for my bag. I laughed, seeing his proud grin.

"You're an angel," I whispered into his ear.

...

Right after school, I headed to my locker, re arranging my books inside.

"Isabella!" A voice squeaked.

I turned around, and Beth ran up to me, panting.

"You won't believe it!" She squealed. "Do you remember that feather that I picked up from the floor? Yeah, well, see, I got pissed off with my Mum the other day because she told me to throw it away. And out of anger, I told the feather to disappear, and it did! I-I don't know what happened, but it just vanished into thin air."

I stared at her.

"I know you wouldn't believe me, but you've got to. I'm not crazy or anything, but I'm just so freaked out right now, because I just had an encounter with a SUPERNATURAL FEATHER!" She yelled the last two words.

Everybody turned to stare at her, and I quickly shut my locker, pulling her by the arm.

"Beth, are you certain about this?" I tried to sound anxious and worried, but I knew that it was pretty normal for feathers to vanish when they felt angry or hurt.

"Yeah!" Her blue eyes were wide - honest.

"Just keep it to yourself," I instructed, and she nodded, her head bobbing up and down. "We don't want the whole school to freak out." _Rather, I don't want others to think that you're insane._

"Okay okay. I'll see you tomorrow!" She sprinted down the hall, her curls bouncing.

I walked slowly towards Ian's car, praying hard that the feather wouldn't reappear. As I started to unlock the car, I spotted Edward across the lot, watching me.

"Hi," I waved. "Why are you still here?"

"I just don't feel like returning to a large, empty house." He shrugged.

"Me neither," I grimaced. "Hey! How about hanging around in the forest?"

"Really? Can we really do that?" His face lit up, like a little boy who was offered candy.

"Yeah! I'll meet you by the stream?"

"Done!" He said, beaming.


	7. Chapter 7

Isabella

I waited by the stream, wearing the same dress as the day before. My wings were absorbing the sunlight. To them, the sun was their source of energy. Without it, the feathers would start dropping, until there was nothing left.

I sat down on a rock, listening to the quiet splashing of the waters. A tiny rabbit hopped to my side. Its fur was pure white, with a tint of light brown hidden beneath.

"Hello," I cooed, picking it up, and setting it on my lap. It snuggled closer towards me. I stroked its soft fur tenderly, and its ears twitched every now and then.

"Isabella," A soft voice called.

I lifted the rabbit into my arms, and watched as Edward leaped gracefully across the stream.

"Hi," I smiled.

He looked at the rabbit for awhile, then back up at me. The little bunny squirmed away from his gaze.

"Hey, hey." I whispered, winding my arms tightly around it. "He's not going to hurt you, don't be scared. _Fiaro mea_."

The rabbit stopped struggling, and started to sniff Edward's arm curiously. He looked slightly taken back by the animal, and I touched his hand briefly, sending waves of magic into him.

"You won't hurt it," I promised him. "You wouldn't."

"Really?" He asked, his golden eyes wide.

I smiled, and nodded, carefully placing the rabbit into his arms. He took it slowly and gently, careful to abstain from using too much force.

"There you go," I laughed, as the rabbit snuggled into Edward's embrace. He grinned widely.

"I've never done this before," He said.

"Well you've done it now. After a century."

He looked at me, and I felt myself staring back at his flawless face. I never noticed how beautiful he was, until I was standing so close to him. He seemed oblivious to the sunlight on his skin, sparkling like millions of diamonds.

Edward

As I gazed at her, I could not help, but to be awestruck at her beauty. That soft, smooth skin, and beautiful lips that tugged at the corners when she smiled. She was so pure, so lovely to behold. Her white dress that fell above her knees swayed delicately.

"See?" She said, gesturing to the rabbit in my arms. "You didn't hurt it."

"That's because you used magic." I teased.

"No, I used magic to take away to take away your fear of holding it. But you're holding back your thirst now, do you realise?" Her musical voice sang in my ears.

"Really?" I whispered, unbelieving, as I felt the rabbit's nose tickle my hand. I did not feel the thirst at all. Just affection for the tiny animal.

"Yes," Isabella said. "I promise, I didn't use magic to take away your thirst."

I smiled at her. It was a strange feeling inside of me. I didn't know how to describe it, but I knew that it was real. I'd never felt anything like this before - it was a mix of happiness and magic.

"Come on, we'll visit the elks." She said, taking the rabbit from my arms, and gently lowering it down. It hopped away happily.

She walked in front of me, and I observed her wings. They were made of many feathers gathered together. Once in awhile, they would start to glitter when I got too near, and under the sun, they glowed brighter still.

"Why do your wings sparkle when I walk near you?" I asked curiously.

She stopped walking for awhile, and turned to face me, her beautiful brown eyes honest. "That's because danger is near."

"Oh." I looked down. _I_ was the danger, how stupid of me to ask. Was that really a genuine question, or was I just trying to make conversation? I couldn't tell.

"Come on," She touched my arm briefly, and started to walk forwards.

When her feet swept past the grass, they seemed to glow, and wave. The colour of her hair reminded me of tree branches - brown, yet with a few shades of lighter brown in many strands. I had never interacted with faeries before. Were they all just as beautiful as her? Or was she the only one who caught my eye?

I could hear the hooves of the elks beating against the earth below.

"They're almost here." Isabella said excitedly.

For a moment, my courage died down, and I felt my thirst regain. She looked into my eyes. "You wouldn't hurt them, remember?"

I closed my eyes, nodding. I tried to push the image of feeding on an elk away. There was a light pressure on my arm. I opened my eyes. She was just standing inches away, our faces very close to touching.

"It's not difficult." She said softly. I could smell her cool breath - like peppermints and honey.

I clenched my jaw, trying to fight the urge of grabbing an elk by its hind legs, and sinking my teeth into it. She leaned in closer still, and her sweet scent filled my lungs.

"You can do it." She whispered. "You can. Trust me."

Her words were like magic. My confidence returned, and I smiled at how easy it was to fight the thirst. She broke into a mesmerizing smile, her teeth glistening white.

"Come on," She laughed. "They're nearing."

The thudding got louder, and two elks jumped through the thick mosses, coming to stand majestically in front of us. I walked up to the one who was facing me, and touched its soft hair, feeling its pulse beneath. He didn't seem to be afraid, and tugged its antlers against my body. I laughed, and it jumped up, as if laughing too.

I looked over to Isabella. Her head was against the elk's and they both stared into each others eyes, seeming to communicate. She looked up, and caught my gaze. I quickly looked back to the elk in front of me.

"It's not that difficult, isn't it?" She grinned.

I shook my head. "It's the easiest thing yet."

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" She said. "They have very pure spirits."

_Could their spirits be any purer than hers?_

"What shall we do next?" I asked, looking around the forest. "There hasn't been any humans around lately."

"Trees," She pointed to the large, over grown tree barks that were more than ten feet tall.

"Climbing trees?" I smiled.

She nodded, smiling happily. "I'll race you up!" She sang, and her wings fluttered, pulling her up into the air.

I laughed heartily, and jumped up different branches, climbing about. She was faster than me. It only took her two seconds to reach the top, while I took four. We sat on the highest branch, overlooking the sea.

The wind blew, and I gazed at her. She closed her eyes, enjoying the breeze against her face. She spread her arms wide, and inhaled a deep breath of fresh air.

"Up here, the air is the freshest." She smiled.

I closed my eyes, feeling the cool air fill my whole body. It felt so refreshing. When I re-opened my eyes, I found her looking at me.

"You're pretty relaxed for a vampire." She laughed.

"What do they teach you in Ivantide? That vampires love to pick up fights?" I mused.

She laughed, louder this time. "I think you're really beautiful."

"Do you mean it?"

"You're an angel, remember?" She reminded me.

I chuckled and gazed across the never ending sea. It felt different when she was around. The waves really whispered when they rolled ashore. The whole ocean sounded like an orchestra, where the whales were the deep basses.

"Did you know that the mer people really exists?" She asked, sitting closer to me.

"Like, mermaids and mermen?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Yes," She giggled. "They're swimming in the ocean now, singing."

"Why can't I hear them?"

"It's magic, Edward. You have to open your mind, and shut everything out to hear them." She said.

I closed my eyes, and listened carefully to the sea. I pushed all thoughts that floated back into my mind away, like stuffing your clothes into the closet and locking it. I concentrated for awhile. At first, they voices were very faint. But they grew louder and louder, till it seemed like there was a heavenly choir singing next to me.

"I hear them, Isabella!" I laughed, opening my eyes.

But the faerie sat there, leaning against the bark of the tree, fast asleep. Gently, I pulled her into my arms, careful not to wake her.


	8. Chapter 8

Isabella

I was awoken by the breeze, along with the scent of the sea waters. Shivering slightly, I leaned closer to the tree trunk. My eyes fluttered open. Since when did trees smell so sweet?

"Isabella?" A cold palm shook my shoulders lightly.

I jumped instinctively, and Edward sat next to me, looking sheepish.

"I-I'm so sorry," I apologised. "I didn't mean to lean against you."

"No," He shook his head. "I was the one who pulled you into my arms. I was afraid that you may fall."

I smiled. "The Tarians sleep among the trees."

He looked down, embarrased, but I patted his shoulder. "Thank you, anyway."

His lips tugged at the corners, a smile growing. "It's going to rain soon," He said grimly.

I looked up. Angry clouds hovered above, threatening to explode any minute. Thunder growled across the boundless sky, lightning flashing faintly every few seconds.

"We'd better go back," I said, my wings fluttering. He agreed, and hopped down, landing firmly on his feet. My body lowered gently, till I touched the ground.

"I guess I'll see you in school tomorrow?" He asked.

I nodded. "When are your family members coming back?"

"It depends. Rosalie might want to have another wedding while they're there."

"Don't you want to go?"

He shook his head.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I waved.

"Yeah," He shrugged.

Turning, my wings lifted me into the air, and I started towards my house.

"Isabella?" Edward called. I looked behind.

"Yes?"

"Thank you for today." He said softly, yet I could hear the sincerity in his words.

"Anytime," I smiled.

Flying back to the house, I entered through the back door, and quickly took in the clothes that were hanging outside. The house was dark, and I found the switches easily.

My wings shivered, the feathers shifting towards each other, as if cuddling. I sat on the couch, and started to fold the clothes. Once they were done, I brought them upstairs, and kept my dresses in the wardrobe, while Ian's jeans were hung across his open cabinet. I looked around his room, checking if there were things that needed to be cleaned.

His room was filled with pictures of Christine - a free-spirited faerie who had captured his heart when they'd first met. She was by far, the most graceful faerie in Ivantide. She exuded a sense of peace and happiness to everyone around her.

Christine was tall, and elegant, with caramel coloured hair that hung straight down, but curled at the ends. Her eyes were the colour of the ocean - startling blue, with a silver ring around the irises.

Her Tarian name was Camellia.

She and Ian had stumbled upon each other during a fight between the faeries and vampires, where he saved her from the enemy. His charms soon drew her to him, and they have been together ever since.

When faeries get together as soul mates, they can never be separated. There is an invisible bond between them that holds strong and firm. It was like two threads entwined together to form a whole. If you cut one, you kill the other. Ian and Christine's bond is the firmest in the entire generation. Nothing can set them apart.

His room was clean - speckless, and I walked into mine, throwing myself onto the bed, and falling asleep once again, listening to the heavy raindrops beat against the window panes.

...

A tiny butterfly landed on my shoulder, and I opened my eyes, sighing deeply. The butterfly flapped its wings, and flew around the room. I sat up slowly, looking out of the window. It was raining even harder than before.

I walked out of my room, and down the stairs, with the butterfly next to me.

"Hey," I said, yawning. "Why are you so agitated? Your little wings will be hurt if you flap them with too much force."

The butterfly started to circle around a brown box that was on the coffee table. I didn't remember carrying a box around. It was small, like those that women kept their necklaces in. The closer I walked towards it, the more the butterfly circled.

I picked up the box, and trailed my fingers on the rough, brown paper that was wrapped around it. I held the box to my nose, trying to make up the scent. It just smelled of rain - nothing more. There were no words on it, nothing.

Slowly, I started to tear the paper away.

Inside, was a black box. For awhile, I just stared at it. _Sinister_ - the word kept crossing my mind. The butterfly circled around the box once more, then flew out through the window.

I opened the box.

A CD lay inside, undisturbed. I took it out, and walked towards the stereo player, sliding the disc in, and hitting the button 'play'.

I turned the volume up, and sat by the floor, listening. At first, there was a shuffling of noises. After a click, a deep voice spoke. It was a man.

_"Hmm, so you decided to open this box. Had a good sleep, little faerie?"_

I stared at the stereo, breathing heavily.

_"You must be wondering where this disc came from, or who I am. But the thing is, you don't have to care. Just because little Edward Cullen doesn't know that you are the High King's niece, it doesn't mean that the other vampires are oblivious to it."_

Vampire. The voice laughed heartily, as if he had just came back from an amusement park. My fists clenched, and I listened closer.

_"Oh well, I'll just get straight to the point. I'm bringing a message, from my master Caius. He wants the Javs, whether you like it or not. You will lead your people out of Ivantide, and remove the magic that surrounds the kingdom. Of course, if you fail to do so, we will kill. Starting with your human friends._

_"You can run to your brother, or Edward. But guess what? You will just be speeding the process at a faster rate. _

_"Poor little faerie. You must be so scared. Shaking? Why don't you get some warm, jasmine tea to calm your senses. I see you had fun with Edward today. It's a pity he didn't kill you. I guess we'll have to track the rest of his family down. _

_"If you think this is some kind of a prank, I will prove you wrong._

I started to shake violently, tears falling.

_"I will give you a daily update. Don't bother staying up to wait for me. I know you will. Just have a good night's rest, and listen out for who our pathetic target was._

_"Until then, lovely Isabella. Stay in good health - you'll need it."_

The disc stopped playing, and there was a strong, stinging sensation in my eyes. I removed the CD from the player, and broke it into half, crying. This was a sick joke. A sick joke that only vampires could think of.

Shaking, I pushed myself up with both hands, and headed out of the back door, ignoring the icy raindrops that hit my skin. I started to run, leaping across the stream, and sprinting straight for the large, authentic house that was hidden in the woods. Edward must have heard me coming, and he opened the front door, stepping out into the rain.

By then, my thin dress was soaked, feathers shivering.

"Isabella?" Edward's eyes were wide.

"You have to get out of here," I clutched his arm tightly. "Please, tell your family to run. Wherever they are, they have to move."

"What?" He frowned, confused.

"Please! Just go!" I begged. "Don't ask. You have to go!"

"I'm not moving until you tell me the reason," He said fiercely, clinging onto my hands.

I closed my eyes, and re-opened them, as the raindrops hit my eye lashes. "The Volturi have found out about you sparing my life. Please...I don't want you to get hurt because of me. You have to go."

His eyes bored down into mine for a moment. The shirt he wore was already wet. I could see his skin through the translucent material.

"Think about your family," I urged him, crying now. "Hurry up! Just go!"

"What about you?" He asked.

"I-I'll think of a way. But you have to get out of here. They will track you down, but you have to keep moving."

He gazed at me, his cold hands causing me to shiver even more.

"I'm sorry," I apologised. "I shouldn't have met you. I'm sorry."

"You're apologising for meeting me?"

"Yes. I've caused you to be in trouble. There's no time, you have to run."

"And leave you here?" He asked in disbelief.

The raindrops mixed with my tears, and I struggled to find the right words - to persuade him to go. He was my saviour. I would have died, if he hadn't decided to spare my life.

"I'll be alright," I said, nodding my head, trying to reassure myself. "I'll be alright. You have to run as far as you can. Just go!"

"I'm not going to leave you here to die." He said through gritted teeth.

"I'm faster than you, remember? I can run, and fly."

He disappeared through the doorway, and reappeared the next moment, carrying a huge haversack.

"After I get my family to safety, I'll come back for you." He promised.

"Don't." I shook my head. "Don't come back."

"I will."

He took off, running at full speed. The next second, I was standing, all alone, in the forest.


	9. Chapter 9

Isabella

It was like a nightmare. A terrible one. Every second of my life was about being fearful, knowing that somebody would be hurt because of me. But I couldn't bring myself to take Ivantide away from my people. Who was I to do that? What rights did I have to take away their home?

When morning came, I walked down the stairs, clutching the handle for support. I collected the newspaper, and walked back into the house unsteadily. I slumped against the couch as I read the headlines.

**_FORKS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT FOUND DEAD IN A LOCKER_**

_By Tim Barns_

_A huge shock for the high school of two thousand pupils. The captain of the school's gymnastics team, Beth Armstrong, was found lying dead in her locker at approximately 5 p.m. Detectives suspect that Armstrong was shoved into the 4'9 locker, from the way her body was positioned. She was pronouced dead on the spot._

_Armstrong's ankle, and wrists were broken. Paramedics claimed that when her body was discovered, there were no traces of blood running in her veins at all. Speculation was that Armstrong was forced to bleed to death._

_Dr. Ranchid, a senior surgeon at the hospital, dismissed that fact. "Even if she bled to death, there would still be blood in her body. But Miss Armstrong did not even have a millimetre of blood in her._

_Police are still investigating the scene. Forks High School will be closed for three days._

I stared at the words, trying to make out the black ink against grey paper. My eyes searched around the room wildly, looking for another package. This time, the box was on the chair, next to the television. Shaking, I got up, and opened the box quickly. My hands fumbled, and I groaned in frustration as I struggled to slide the disc into the stereo.

_"Hello, Isabella,"_ The pleasant voice greeted.

_"I heard Beth was your good friend in Forks High. How does it feel after reading the newspaper? Horrified? Upset? Angry? Well, I was walking around the forest yesterday, and found out that Edward had taken off._

_"What a brave faerie you are. Your little life is like a piece of metal, strong. But you know something? I can just break you apart without much force._

_"Your dead friend was pretty resilient, I must say. She kept running when she knew that I was faster. And, well, the taste of her blood in my mouth... Ahh... Simply delightful."_

The voice chuckled.

_"I decided to squeeze her ankle a little, and her fragile muscles snapped. You should have heard her scream. It gave me too much satisfaction. Despite that, she still ran pathetically. So, I crushed her wrist bones. She was a beautiful girl. I should have changed her. But of course, that is not the point."_

Angry tears poured down my cheeks.

_"Aww! Crying, are you? Well, don't cry now. Save your tears for the next victim. Until then, dearest."_

The disc stopped spinning, and came slowly to a stop. I breathed, hard and loud. For a few minutes, I sat there, staring into space. Then, I got up, and walked out to the garden, casting spells around the whole dimension of my house.

Slowly, a shield started to form. It was translucent white, invisible to everybody but faeries. No vampire could hurt me now.

I just had to plan.

Christine

"Welcome to Forks!" The girl at the information counter greeted. "How may I help you?"

"Yes, please." I smiled. "May I know how I can get here?"

I handed her an address slip. She took it, and keyed it into the computer system. I watched as she printed out a map. It was not a complicated one, where everything was tiny and blinding. Rather, it was large, and easy to read.

She began explaining the different routes that I could take. When I understood the way, I thanked her, and walked out of the airport. I didn't bring a luggage, just a haversack. I had changed out of my dress while on the plane, and wore a pair of jeans with a black jacket.

"Hey, lady!" A voice called.

I turned around. An elderly man, whose silver hair flapped as he limped, came running up to me. I walked towards him, curious. He looked so frail, and was about to fall, when I'd caught his arm.

"You left your passport at the counter," He said, panting. A bead of perspiration rolled down his forehead.

"Oh, thank you so much!" I said, gratitude washing through me that instant.

He nodded his head, smiling. "My pleasure, dearie. Are you a tourist?"

"Yes."

"Well, you have to be on your guard." His voice dropped. "There have been many cases of horrible deaths lately."

"Horrible deaths?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Yes. A week ago, Beth Armstrong from Forks High School was found drained of blood. Two days later, Josh Benson's body parts were found all over Forks. Followed by six others. Their limbs - everything were broken and torn."

Drained of blood. Torn body parts.

_Vampires?_

"Be very careful." He cautioned. "The Quileutes think that Forks has been cursed once again."

I nodded slowly. "Thank you for telling me."

He grinned, and slowly made his way back into the airport. I took a bus through the streets for twenty minutes, before alighting at the last stop. I followed the map, and walked down the rows identical houses.

There was a strong force nearby. It was pulling me towards it. I followed, and it led me to the last house at the end of the street. It was a beautiful, timeless home. I looked back at the address slip.

This was it.

But it wasn't what I'd expected it to be. There was a gigantic shield protecting the whole area surrounding the house. Ian never told me about anything concerning a powerful shield.

"_Aria shield_." I whispered, allowing myself to go through the layer, stopping in front of the iron gate. I rang the door bell once.

There was a scream from inside. A familiar cry of help reached my ears.

"Isabella?!" I shouted, climbing over the gate, and pounding on the front door.

The screaming stopped abruptly, and the door burst open. I stared at the stranger in front of me. Her usual, silky hair was in a mess. There were huge eye bags beneath her eyes. Her lips were dry and cracked. The familiar, chocolate-brown eyes stared into mine for a long time.

"Acacia..." I whispered, taking my shoes off and stepping in.

She started to sob loudly, as if being strangled. Her frail body fell onto the floor. I quickly helped her up, and towed her to the couch. Everything was in a mess. There were many, many feathers on the ground. Her back was bleeding.

"Acacia! What happened?" I asked, seeing the plight she was in.

She sobbed harder, clutching her chest and rocking back and forth. I ran into the kitchen, and brewed a warm cup of jasmine water for her.

"Drink," I told her, patting her back lightly.

She emptied the liquid into her mouth in a gulp, and started spluttering. I panicked, and rubbed her back, only to cause her more pain. She cried out loud when I touched her wound.

"I'm so sorry!" I gasped. "I'm so sorry!"

She clutched my hand tightly, sobbing.

"What's the matter?" I asked, cupping her face in my hands. "What is it?"

"Please..." She choked, then dropped onto the carpet below.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hey guys! So sorry for the late update! School has started, so I have been really busy. :P**

* * *

Isabella

Christine's eyes were fixed on the road. There was a hint of anger in them, but she kept still, never looking at me.

"So," She said in a tight voice. "Would you like to tell me what happened back there?"

"No."

"Tell me."

"No."

She pursed her lips, and went rigid, completely frustrated.

"Really, is it just me, or is there some...damn huge secret that you can't share because you think it's just too good for others to know." Her voice was hard as steel. "For the past three days that I've been here, you just avoided the questions I asked. What's the problem? What, am I an outsider?"

"No."

"Acacia, let me get the facts straight. I am Ian's wife. I am your sister. So if you think that this...psychological stress is none of my business, then that's your problem. But you are my sister, and I will protect you at all costs."

I listened to her words, savouring every ring in her voice. Christine was always sharp with her words when she was mad, yet one could feel her love and loyalty present in the air.

"This problem is big..." I whispered, looking down at my lap.

In a sudden jerk, Christine swerved Ian's convertible to the side lane, and turned down the street, throwing the car into a fast reverse. She stopped right outside my house. I clutched the handle with fear, my fingers digging into my palm painfully. She shut the engine off, and turned to look at me.

"Oh, okay." She said sarcastically. "So there's a big problem. Sure! And I believe you are going to solve it all by yourself?"

"Yes."

"I'm going down town for awhile." She said, getting out of the car, and slamming the door behind her. She tossed the car keys to me. "I'll be back soon."

I watched her walk down the road, waves of anger radiating through her slender body. Shaking my head, I got out of the convertible, and unlocked the front doors.

It became a daily routine, that the moment I stepped into the house, I headed straight for the coffee table, and slid the CD into the stereo mechanically. I sat down, listening.

_"My master is not at all happy with your performance, dearest Isabella." The familiar voice said sternly, like a caring father lecturing his daughter. "I wonder what the problem is? Do you not understand what we want?_

_"As a punishment, I shall not tell you who we killed. You have to find that out yourself. It will be a rude shock, but who started it? As soon as you give the Volturi your land, the killng will stop._

_"I am very much disappointed in you." The voice sighed. "I wanted to get this done in a span of two days. But it has been more than a week now. You are such a disappoinment."_

There was a click, and I took the disc out, lighting a fire from a spell, and burning it, erasing all traces of its existence. I wiped the tears away from my cheeks, and picked my fallen feathers.

I was losing them. They had fell naturally, because they knew that I couldn't take care of them when I was in this state. When I become well again, they will grow back.

"Sorry that you can't stay," I whispered, feeling the soft, silky texture beneath my fingers. "I'll get better, and then, we'll fly again."

Slowly, I walked out through the back door, and sat on the grass, watching as the feathers floated away when I released them. I placed my head between my knees, and let the tears fall onto my dress. A cool hand touched my shoulder, and I ignored it, knowing that it was Christine.

"Isabella?" A smooth voice whispered.

I found myself staring into a familiar pair of golden eyes. I gasped and stood up immediately, backing away. He followed, trying to reach out to me.

"Isabella," He called my name louder.

"Stay away," I croaked, moving back.

"Isabella, what's the matter?" His velvet voice was confused.

_He's a vampire. Dangerous. Stay away._ I kept chanting to myself.

I couldn't move fast now. I had no wings to help me fly. When I turned and ran, I ended up trampling and falling down the grass, landing on my elbow. It hurt, and more tears started to fall. As I scrambled to my feet, he wrapped an arm around my waist, and pulled me up.

"Are you alright?" He asked, worry strong in his voice.

Angry, I wiped the tears away with the back of my hand, and pushed him away. He didn't budge.

"I told you to stay away, didn't I?" I choked.

He frowned. "What's the matter? Why are you acting like that?"

"You're just another one of them!" I screeched. "Don't touch me!"

Edward

It was as if the stone heart inside of me was crushed into pieces by her words. _She told me to stay away_. After more than a week, during when I longed to see her, she wanted me to go away.

She was different. Her eyes were weary, as if they never had a good night's sleep for months. Her alabaster skin seemed to be paler than usual. I tightened my arms around her, feeling the warmth that exuded from her skin.

"Get away!" She screamed, struggling against me.

"No!" I said, my voice hard and strong.

Without even believing that she would do it, she raised her palm, and brought it down in a swift movement, slamming against my cheek. I stared at her, as she stood there, panting.

"You filthy vampire," She spat. "Why did you get close to me? To try pushing me out of Ivantide?"

Her eyes were fierce, demanding. I blinked once, then brought my lips down to hers, pulling her closer to me. I could feel her resistance, her anger, boiling through the air between us. But like a stubborn child insisting on touching fire, I persisted, locking my lips firmly on hers. My grip was firm. I wasn't going to let her leave my side.

It seemed like forever, but there was a point in time when the tension between us loosened, and she was the one who pulled me closer to her. The sweet scent of her skin brought back memories from the day we last explored the woods.

Gently, I pulled back, and stared into her eyes. They were moist from crying.

"Tell me what happened." I whispered into her ear.

She wound her arms around my waist, sobbing.


	11. Chapter 11

Isabella

Edward stared at me, wide eyed. "Discs?"

I nodded my head, drawing a shaky breath. "I don't know how many more he will kill."

"The Volturi work in unexpected ways. We can never assume."

My heart sank. "What should I do?"

"Stay with me. I will protect you." He said softly.

I looked at him, and placed my palm over his cheek.

"Silly boy," I laughed. It was a choked, strangled sound. "You can't protect me from them. You aren't supposed to be siding me in the first place."

"Says who?" He teased, grinning. "Besides, who are you calling a boy?"

"I'm older than you, Edward Cullen." I announced proudly.

"Really?"

"I'm six hundred and eighty years old."

"You're kidding."

"No. We take forty years to grow a year older."

He raised his eye brows. "That's interesting."

"I know." I smiled.

We were quiet for a minute, and Edward broke the silence first.

"Your wings..." He whispered, tracing my bare skin.

My tears had dried, and the both of us sat by the stream, watching the waters flow quietly past the rocks and pebbles. All along, I held his hand, not wanting to let go.

"They decided to fall," I answered.

"You must have had a hard time, then."

"To the extent of losing my feathers, yes, I suppose so."

He traced his finger tips along the side of my arm. I leaned in closer to him, savouring his sweet scent that intoxicated my body.

"I'm so sorry," He whispered, pressing his lips to my temple. "I won't leave you now."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise."

A huge lump formed in my throat, as I wound my arms around his neck. He rubbed my back soothing, whispering words of comfort. Gently, he pulled me into his chest, cradling.

Edward

"A faerie?" Rosalie spat.

It was a normal reaction from Rosalie. I guess anybody would have the same reply as her. Just that they didn't voice it out. Their silent objection was clear in their heads.

"This is not right," Jasper said quietly. He was seated on the couch, with Alice on his lap.

"So that's why you chased us away from Paris, all the way back here." Emmett concluded.

"She needs help." I said. "The Tarians are being threatened."

"And we're the ones who are going to help her?" Alice asked. "Edward, I can't even see her in my visions. We can't put ourselves in danger because of a faerie."

"Please, we have to help her. She's been through more than you can imagine." I pleaded.

"Give me a reason why, Edward." Carlisle came over, and placed a hand on my shoulder.

For awhile, I looked at every expression of my family's faces. Alice and Jasper's were cautious. Rosalie looked extremely defiant. Emmett and Esme were nervous, from the way they shifted uncomfortably. Carlisle waited calmly for my explanation.

"I love her."

Rosalie snarled, and Alice hopped up from Jasper's lap, pulling her back. Carlisle's grip became tight, and weighed down on my shoulders. I heard Esme gasp softly. Both Emmett and Jasper became still.

"Repeat that." Carlisle frowned.

"I love her."

It was real. I truly loved her - more than anything else. More than my family.

"That's not going to happen, Edward. I will not allow it." My father said fiercely.

"You don't even know her." I replied softly.

"We don't need to know her. In the first place, you shouldn't even be close to a faerie."

"You'd be better off with Tanya," Rosalie growled.

I glared at her. "Royce King should have killed you."

She pushed Alice away, and came to stand before me, her expression wild. Without thinking, she grabbed a flower vase, and cracked it against my neck. The sound of glass hitting metal filled the air. Using all the force that I had, I slammed her against the wall at the other end of the living room, and she tumbled down the window pane.

"Stop!" Esme shouted, as Carlisle held me back, and Emmett rushed over to lift Rosalie up.

"We will die if you stay with her!" Rosalie shrieked in anger.

"_I_ will die! Not you!"

"Our souls are already damned! Don't forget that!" She smashed the windows open with her elbows, and jumped down, running into the forest.

"Go after her, Emmett." Alice urged. Emmett hopped out, and sprinted into the trees.

I hung my head low, ashamed to look at Carlisle and Esme. Jasper sighed, and stood up, wrapping an arm around Alice.

"Edward, this...this is beyond the boundary that you can cross," Carlisle said firmly. "None of us will ever allow you to be with her."

"Dad, I have never asked anything from you." I begged. "Please meet her. She's different. She's not like Tanya, or any other girls.

Esme stepped forward. "That's not the point, dear," She said gently. "Of course, we trust your judgement that she is a good girl. But this is not just about the two of you. Our family's lives are at stake."

"I will take full responsibility." I promised. "If anyone of us should die, that would be me. If I have to leave to keep you safe, I will. But please know that I love her more than the world. She's the greatest gift I have ever received. If you cannot help me, then I shall leave."

Carlisle folded his arms, and looked out of the window, while Esme looked like she was about to break down into tears.

_You don't know what you're doing, Edward. _Jasper thought, shaking his head.

Isabella

When I stepped through the back door, Christine was seated on the high stool in the kitchen, writing on her notepad. I bit my lip, and breezed past her, remembering her temper earlier in the morning.

"Stop there." She commanded. I haltered.

Gracefully, she hopped down the stool, standing before me.

"Who were you with?" She asked, her voice hard.

I blinked, and looked down. There was no doubt that she could smell the scent of a vampire on me.

"Who were you with?" This time, her voice was louder, even more demanding.

"I was out...with s-someone." I stammered, afraid to look into her eyes.

She threw her pen onto the floor with so much force, that it split into two immediately. Slowly, I looked up. Her eyes sparkled with anger when they caught mine.

"A vampire." She spat, nodding her head.

"Christine..."

"You're insane, Acacia!" She shouted, making me jump.

"Please, Christine..."

She clutched the edge of the table, and placed her hand on her forehead.

"You have to go back now," She whispered. "I have to send you back to Ivantide."

"No. No. Please, don't bring me back. Don't set me apart from him!" I begged. My vision blurred as tears started to well in my eyes.

"It's the only way. I have to."

I dropped to my knees, and grabbed her hands, pleading. "Please! The council will never let me be with him!"

Slowly, she knelt down. "You were never meant to be."

"We were!" I yelled, shaking my head. "I love him, Christine. Please don't bring me back!"

"The council will kill you, if they find out!"

"I don't care!" I screeched. "You can't do that! You can't take me home!"

"I will!"

"No! I will not go!"

"Ian will know about it, Acacia! I have to take you back!"

"You can't tell Ian! Please!"

"Acacia," There were tears in her eyes. "The prophecy came true. You have fallen in love with a vampire. It's the end for us."


	12. Chapter 12

Heidi

It was 6 in the evening.

"How very interesting," I smiled, turning to Demetri. "They're in love."

He smirked, sitting casualy on a tree brunch. Obviously, he was proud. One had to admit, that Demetri was the greatest tracker in the world. He was a million times more powerful than any vampire tracker.

"Seems like your plan really worked. Aro will be so pleased." I said. "Congratulations."

"Thank you, dearest Heidi," He hopped down the tree, and bowed, grinning. "Of course, I couldn't have done it without you."

"Is that so?" I raised my eye brows, and laughed slightly.

"Ah, what an enchanting laugh you have," He commented. "A laugh that would attract all men, a body any maiden would die for."

I laughed louder this time. "Enough with the flattery, Demetri. Let's get to work."

He dropped onto the grass beneath, and placed his hands behind his head. "Relax, Heidi. We have a conversation to listen to. She will come out naturally."

Judging by his expression, I had no doubt about his words.

Christine

"Forks high school. How may I help you?" A tired voice answered after five rings.

"Hi. My friends will be moving out of Forks, and I was wondering if I have to provide any information?" I sat by the table, checking the details of the air tickets.

"What are their names?"

"Isabella and Ian Swan."

"I see. And you are...?"

"Christine Davis. I am a close friend of theirs. I believe Mrs. Swan has already sent the school an email explaining the reason."

The line at the other end was quiet, and I could hear the constant clicking of a keypad.

"Yes," The staff replied. "I see. The principal has been notified, and it should not be a problem."

"Thank you very much."

The line went flat immediately. I snapped my phone shut, and rubbed my temples. Isabella was seated on the couch, both arms around her knees. She had not stopped crying since noon. I got up, and went to sit beside her.

"We will leave in the morning," I whispered, putting an arm around her shoulder.

She didn't move, but continued to stare at the blank television screen, tears falling again and again. It pained me to see her so miserable.

"Isabella, forget him. You will never be together."

She looked up, and stared into my eyes. As I looked into hers, I could see defeat, and resignation in them. She knew she couldn't be with him. Yet, she kept convincing herself that she would eventually.

After a long while, her gaze trailed to my wings.

"Home..." She whispered.

"Yes, you're going home." I said, and she lay down, resting her head on my lap.

Tenderly, I stroked her soft, silky hair. Falling in love with a vampire was what had gotten her into this state. My right leg was already wet with her tears, and I continued to give her more comfort, sending scents of lavenders and lillies to soothe her.

When she had finally fallen asleep, I gently got up, and placed a blanket over her. I went back to the kitchen table, and typed Isabella's particulars in for submission of her 'drop-out' application.

I jumped when my phone buzzed. It sounded harsh, and loud in the quietness of the living room.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey baby," The familiar voice warmed my heart.

"Hi. How have you been?" I asked, smiling.

"It's been hectic. The council knows everything now. They are working on it." Ian replied. "When is Acacia coming over?"

"I'll send her back tomorrow morning. She...she's devastated."

"She must be. Did you talk to her?"

"Yes. But she wouldn't reply." I looked over at Isabella's sleeping form. "She has been crying for hours."

"Why don't you try giving her calming spells?"

"Caladium, you know I don't like using spells, even if it's for good cause." I reminded him.

He laughed. "Of course I remember."

We were quiet for awhile, savouring the moments of listening to each others voices.

"I miss you, darling. You have no idea how lonely I feel without you." He admitted bitterly.

"We'll be together again tomorrow, won't we?" I reminded him. "My dearest Caladium...I love you."

"I love you too, Camilia. I always have."

"Send my love to your parents, okay?" I said, straighening up, and finishing Isabella's particulars.

"I will. Dream about me, Christine. You must."

I giggled. "When you look at the stars, I'll be there."

"I love you, baby."

"I love you, cupcake."

I snapped my phone shut, and quickly zipped the air tickets into my wallet, sending Isabella's application to the school's inbox. I sighed, and rested my head on the table, yawning. The sky had not even darkened, and I slept, dreaming of Ian.

Heidi

I knocked on the front door of the Cullen's residence. They must have heard me approaching, because I could see caution in all of their eyes when they emerged from the house.

"Heidi," Carlisle smiled, as if greeting an old friend.

"Yes, hello." I gave my sweetest smile.

"What can we do for you?" He asked.

I looked around. Edward was next to Carlisle, his eyes fierce and alert. Esme, Emmett, and Jasper stood a row behind them, followed by Alice and Rosalie.

"I have come, as a messenger from my masters." I could feel my lips tugging at the sides. "Aro, in particular, is very disappointed in you, Carlisle Cullen, for having brought up a reckless son like Edward. He is _extremely_ displeased to hear the news of Edward letting the faerie go. Worse still, he fell for her."

Edward growled, and Jasper held his brother back. I raised my eyebrows, and continued, "You either leave her, or this clan dies."

Both Rosalie and Alice hissed at the same time. Emmett crouched, ready to spring.

"You know," I said casually. "The Volturi will not tolerate this insolence. We are particularly strict about associating with the Tarians. It is a death sentence, actually. This coven is our top priority to investigate."

"Take me, but leave my family alone." Edward snarled.

"No, Edward." Esme whispered.

I smiled. "Well, we can't kill you, Edward. Your powers are far too precious to waste. Including Alice's. Marcus is deeply impressed by Jasper's abilities as well."

"So we will die?" Carlisle asked, shaking his head.

"Depending." I shrugged. "You are an old friend to Aro's. I'm sure he wouldn't harm you."

The Cullens were silent. They all stared at me as if I were speaking an entirely different language that didn't even exist.

"Of course," I cleared my throat. "There is another choice offered."

"What is it?" Jasper asked through tight lips.

"That this coven aids us in terminating the faeries." I said simply. "You can help us destroy the Tarians. The reward will be anything you wish for."

"To be human?" Rosalie asked skeptically.

I smiled widely. "It is possible. The faeries have created magical potions that could even resurrect the dead."

Rosalie's eyes grew wide, but Alice stared at me coldly.

"I must be on my way." I said finally. "We will give you ten days to think about it. Until then, we will be keep a close eye on you."

I turned, and walked back into the forest. Demetri was still lying on the grass. He was listening closely to the faeries' house.

"Anything new?" I asked, sitting down.

He looked at me, grinning. "It seems like both of them are asleep."

"Perfect." I smirked.

Demetri jumped up suddenly, and pulled me along, running at full speed. Confusion swept past me, as we sprinted across the woods. We stopped at the cliff.

"What the hell are you doing?" I hissed.

"The Cullens." He replied. "They were looking for us."

I sighed in frustration. "What do we do? We can't cross this land. La Push is forbidden."

"We wait." He commanded. "The wolves will be on their guards."

"How about that faerie?" I asked.

"She will run away. There is a high possibility that she may seek help from the mer people here."

"The mer people will use magic on us."

He smiled. "I don't think so."


	13. Chapter 13

Isabella

My eyelids fluttered open.

I did not dream tonight.

I sat up, pushing the blanket aside. The house was pitch black. The only source of light was from the full moon outside. I could see tiny diamonds in the sky, blinking. Feeling my way through the living room, I found the switches easily, flicking the lamps on. I squinted at the sudden brightness which filled the room. It took my eyes awhile to adjust to the light.

Christine was sleeping, with her head resting on her arms. Her hair was neatly bundled up. For a moment, I stared at her peaceful stance. Then, my instincts worked quickly, and I hurried up the stairs, putting on a pair of jeans under my short dress.

Long ago, I had packed my bag pack, containing my passport, and a huge sum of money. I slung it around my shoulders, and grabbed my cell phone. Even if I had to get away for a few days, it was better than being apart from Edward forever.

Quietly, I ran down, turning the lights off as I passed the switches.

"I'm sorry, Christine." I whispered, scribbling a farewell note.

Opening the front door, I stepped out, feeling the cold night air rush into the house. I looked around, unsure of the directions to take. Slowly, I ventured out of the gate, walking into the forest.

The moment I stepped onto the grass patch, hundreds of fireflies sprang up, and began to dance around me. I smiled, letting some of them crawl onto my hand. The rest flew ahead, lightening up the path.

I decided to sit beneath a tree, feeling the light breeze against my skin. From a distance, I could see the Cullen residence light up brilliantly. I looked at my watch. It was two in the early morning.

Somehow, after I closed my eyes for a split second, I drifted off to sleep immediately.

...

A little squirrel crawled its way up to curl onto my lap, waking me. I opened my eyes, blinking profusely when the sunlight blinded my vision.

"Hello," A familiar voice greeted.

I looked around wildly, feeling a stab of fear washing through my body. This voice...so haunting and loud in my ears._ It was back_.

"Hello little faerie," The voice said, pleasant and casual.

A tall, lean vampire stood before me. His shoulder-length brown hair waved gently with the passing wind. Anybody could have mistaken him for a traveller. He was wearing a black hooded cloak that fell to his knees. Underneath, he wore a pair of navy blue jeans.

"You remember me?" He asked, smiling.

I started to tremble violently, scrambling to my knees. He chuckled.

"Seems like you do," His eyes sparkled.

"What do you want?" Terror rose through me every second. "Why are you here?"

He shrugged. "I've told you. Get your people out of Ivantide."

"Never."

"If that's what you want, fine." He raised his eye brows. "But, if you don't want me to go on another killing spree again, then it would be best if Ivantide is handed over."

"No." I said. "I will never let you."

"Well," He sighed. "Then I'll just have to record another set of CDs, and send it to the other beautiful faerie who is in your house right now."

"Don't you even dream of touching Christine." My fists were balled up.

He took a few steps forward, until we were just inches apart. My feet stayed rooted in position, refusing to move.

"Ah, what a delicious scent you have. Roses and water lilies, am I right?" He whispered, placing a hand on my neck.

I could feel warm tears rolling down, cooling my skin when they evaporated.

"Shh," The vampire cooed, his hand moving up to my cheek. "I'll bring you to my masters in Voltera, and then they will negotiate the terms. Is that alright?"

He didn't even have to ask. Whether I wanted to go or not, he would still force me to.

"Come," He whispered into my ear. "I'll take you there."

I closed my eyes. Without my wings, how much magic could I do? Without magic, how could I get home?

"I won't go." I said, opening my eyes. "Even if you kill me, I will not meet your masters."

His eyes flashed with anger, all traces of kindness gone.

"Then you leave me with no choice." He turned, heading straight for my house.

I ran at full speed ahead of him, blocking his way. He snarled, pushing me with so much force that I fell to the ground. The trees started to sway violently, and the birds circled around us, flapping their wings, screeching at him.

"So what if nature is with you?" He yelled over the noise. "Your kind will vanish before you can expect it!"

Before I could reply, a cold gust of wind blew past me, and another woman stood next to him. More birds flew into the realm, and this time, even the eagles joined in, swooping down to scratch and irritate the vampires.

"Demetri!" The woman shouted. "What the hell is this?!"

"You!" He pointed at me. "You will go to Italy!"

"Demetri! You take care of these birds here. I will take her!"

"No, Heidi! Kill this stupid faerie. Forget about bringing her back!"

The swirling of the birds got faster and louder.

"I'll meet you back in Seattle!" She shouted, and grabbed me painfully by the arm, pulling me though the thick wall of birds.

Every time I tried to get away, she forced me forward, her nails digging into my flesh. I cried out in pain, and she ran faster, dragging me along. The birds were distracted by Demetri - they didn't realise that I was gone.

"Let go!" I screamed.

"Shut up!" An icy palm hit me.

Within minutes, we were by the edge of the forest.

"You!" She snarled, her burgundy eyes boring into mine. "You are going to hell if you refuse to follow us."

"I will see you in hell!" I shouted.

She punched me across the face, and I sank to the ground, touching my lips. It was wet with thick, transparent liquid. Ignoring the strong, stinging pain that was burning my face, I crawled, desperate to get away.

"Trying to get away?" She sang.

The next blow was in my stomach. She kicked my abdomen, and grabbed my ankle with crushing force. I screamed in pain.

"Edward!" I wailed. Even if he could not hear me, I wanted to call out to him. "Edward!"

A slap across my face, and another fist hit my chest. Unwillingly, I coughed out more sap.

"You will die today." The woman promised.

She kicked me, and I rolled over multiple times, till I was at the edge of the cliff. A smile spread across her face.

"Any last words?" She asked sweetly.

I panted, wheezing violently. _Please just let me die. Please._

"Heidi!" A booming voice echoed through the woods.

The pain that radiated through my body became excruciating. I started to screech when it was unbearable.

"Isabella!"

Was I dreaming? Was Edward really here?

A pair of cool hands wrapped around my body, and my screaming died down.

"I'm so sorry, my love." He whispered. My eyelids started to shut, no matter how hard I fought.

"You stay with me, alright?" He urged, shaking me. "Stay with me! Don't close your eyes!"

"Edward!" An unfamiliar voice called.

"No!" Edward shouted. "I won't leave her!"

"We've crossed the land!" The voice was angry. "And Heidi's gotten away with Demetri!"

"I can't leave her, Emmett!"

"You must! Now! Or the treaty will be over!"

"NO!"

There was a slight shuffling. With painful effort, I opened my eyes, to see Edward wrestling with Jasper and Emmett. I turned my head slowly to the side. Everything felt broken. It was less than a few hours, and everything had been torn away from me.

With one final roll, I pushed myself off the cliff. This time, there were no wings to help me float.

The last thing I heard before I was swept into waves of darkness, was Edward calling my name.


	14. Chapter 14

Christine

_"Please help me, Christine! Please!" She screamed. _

_"Acacia?" I spun round, fear whipping through me._

_"CHRISTINE!" She screeched._

I jerked awake, beads of perspiration rolling down my forehead. I swallowed thickly, and took a few deep breaths to calm myself. Shaking my head, I hopped down from the high stool, and walked towards the couch, rubbing my eyes.

"Isabella. Time to wake up." I touched the blanket.

My eyes widened, as I stared at the empty couch.

"Isabella?" I called louder, running up the stairs. _She must be here. In the bathroom or something_. As I stumbled on the staircase, the nightmare came washing through me.

"Isabella!" I shouted, pushing the image of her disappearing aside.

Not a soul moved. I cast out my senses, searching the whole house.

Nothing.

On the table, was a note. With shaking hands, I picked it up, reading.

_Christine,_

_I know that you will never forgive me for doing this. But nobody can ever understand how much I need Edward. Even if he is a vampire, it doesn't matter. Have you seen his soul? If you have, you will understand how beautiful he is in the inside._

_Acacia._

Tears started to burn my icy cheeks. I opened the back door, sobbing as I ran through the woods.

"Isabella!" I begged. "Please! Where are you?"

There was no sign of her. No trail, no tracks. My lips began to quiver violently, as I sprinted through the woods, and then back to the house. The moment I stepped in, I took a few stalks of lavenders, and began sprinkling their shiny dust to form a square, followed by a triangle inside, and a circle within the triangle.

I stepped into the formation, and closed my eyes, whispering, "_Illuna Ivantide_."

A strong gust of wind whirled through the still air, causing me to shiver. Slowly, it came to a stop, and I opened my eyes.

I was standing by a beautiful stream, its waters splashing quietly. Above was a giant waterfall, with two rainbows spread across the horizon, meeting in the middle. All around, sunlight glimmered through the air. Beneath, the leaves crunched as I walked, and the trees bowed when I ran though.

"Camellia!" A familiar voice shouted.

I turned, watching as Jennifer skipped to my side, laughing.

"You're back!" She sang happily, hugging me. "Ian will be overjoyed!"

Something about my expression must have silenced her joy. Her wings fluttered nervously.

"What's the matter?" She asked.

"Where's Caladium?" My voice was barely a whisper.

"He's with the elders." Jennifer replied. "What's wrong?"

I shook my head, and flew to the enormous oak tree in the heart of Ivantide. Faeries who saw me smiled and waved. The little ones offered me apples. I declined them politely.

When I reached the sacred tree, the guards bowed, stepping aside to let me in. There were millions of steps winding around the tree. The fireflies danced their way around, lightening up the path. The moment I reached the top, where it was an open space with the throne at the far end, I was swept into a tight hug.

"You're back," Ian whispered, kissing my shoulders.

Without warning, I dropped to the ground, and started to sob. He knelt down next to me.

"What's the matter?" He asked, concern fierce in his eyes.

I placed a hand on his bare chest, and he pulled me to him, his wings wrapping around us.

"Acacia..." I choked.

"Is she here?" He asked, lifting my face up to his.

I looked into his eyes. "She ran away."

Jacob

"Freaking vampires." Paul muttered as we phased.

"You're just angry because you had to leave Rachel to save the day," I retorted.

"Shut up, Jake." He huffed, and jogged back to the house, where my sister sat, waiting.

I wanted to go home too. But Rachel and Paul would be on the couch, doing god knows what. Jared, Embry and Quil raced to Emily's, fighting for the biggest _cupcake_.

I know what people might think.

They'll be like 'What the hell?!" And, I'll just reply, 'Yep, that's the mighty wolf pack of La Push for you. Got a problem, talk to our leader, Sam. By the way, he'll be in Emily's bedroom.'

I couldn't even laugh at my own joke now. Sighing, I walked down the coast, and crossing to the empty beach.

Thunder rumbled, as grey clouds filled the sky. The violent waves crashed against the rough edges of the cliffs. I stared at the waters. For a moment, I thought I saw something white riding with the waves. I peered closer.

It was a girl.

"Hey!" I called. "Come back! There's going to be a storm!"

But she was still there, letting the waves swallow her every time. Something was wrong. Why wouldn't she move?

"Hey!" I yelled. "Get back up to shore! Stop swimming!"

Was she deaf, or...

My eyes widened before I could even finish my thought. Yanking off my shirt, I dived into the icy waters, stretching my arms as far as I could, reaching for her. The waves pulled back, and tumbled over us repeatedly. I caught her hand, and dragged her towards me. Diving to avoid another roll of wave, I quickly swam back, making sure that I didn't let go of her.

I stopped swimming when we were in shallow waters, and lifted her into my arms, laying the limp body onto the sand.

"Wake up," I patted her cheeks.

I used my shirt to wipe her dry. Using my palms, I pressed her chest, forcing the water out. Still, her eyes remained closed. I sat her up, and began slamming my hands on her back.

"Come on, cough it up. Come on!" I urged her.

I kept a steady tempo, hitting her back. Suddenly, her eyes fluttered open, and she sucked in a deep breath.

"Hey, you alright?" I asked.

She started coughing violently, wheezing 'til all her strength was lost. The sea water escaped through her mouth, as she clutched my arm, gasping in pain.

"Don't worry," I assured her. "I'll take you back to my friend's. You'll be okay."

I slung her over my back, and ran to Emily's.

As usual, Quil and Embry were fighting over the last fried egg. Seth stood outside, sulking. He never got to have any eggs when he arrived late. When he spotted me, his eyes lit up.

"Seth! Where's Emily?" I demanded.

"She's in the kitchen. Sam's there too."

"Get them to the living room."

"Gee, who's that girl?"

"Just hurry up, Seth!"

"Okay okay!" He grumbled, and disappeared through the doorway.

I quickened my footsteps, and walked straight into the house without taking off my shoes. Emily was waiting on the chair.

"What happened?" She gasped when I set the girl onto the couch.

"She was in the sea." I replied, taking two towels, and drying the her.

"A faerie." Sam whispered. Emily turned to him.

"What?"

"A faerie."

The rest of the pack gathered to get a closer glimsp of the body lying unconscious on the blue couch.

"How can you be sure?" I asked, frowning.

Sam inched closer, examining. "Look at the corner of her eyes. See how they sparkle like diamonds."

I observed. It was true. There were tiny diamonds that seemed to form the shape of the waves in the sea. I looked at her on the whole. She was a stunning beauty - I'd never noticed before. It was difficult to tear my gaze away from her.

"Now see this," Sam whispered, touching her arm. He pressed a finger lightly on her skin, and lifted it up. "This is their blood. A transparent liquid called 'sap'. Yes, it is the same sap that you find in plant."

I lifted her leg, and peered closer. A few sections of her skin was torn. The others backed away cautiously.

"There's no need to be frightened. Faeries are gentle - the peace makers. They will never harm unless threatened." Sam said.

"Where are her wings?" Quil asked.

Sam shrugged. "Beats me."

"You boys had better head home," Emily said, getting up and taking a large shirt from the basket of clothes. I reognised that to be mine. "I'll take care of her."

"Let me stay." I pleaded.

She looked at me. "I have to get her changed, and give her a bath."

"I know. I won't be difficult, I promise."

Sam and Emily exchanged a brief look, before nodding a little resentfully.

"Bye Jake. See ya." The pack murmured as they walked out.

I sat by her leg, watching her pale lips move weakly. Somehow, they seemed to form the name 'Edward'.


	15. Chapter 15

Isabella

_"Whatever happens, I will protect you." He promised, kissing my cheek._

_I nodded, feeling boiling hot tears run down my cheeks. "I love you, Edward. More than you know."_

_"I love you too, Isabella. I always will."_

_"Even if...we are separated, you will still love me right?" I buried my face in his chest, afraid to show him how much the thought pained me._

_"Yes. But it will take more than a war to drive me away from you." He whispered._

_..._

_"This is wrong!" My father shouted, his wings glowed dangerously. "You are not my daughter!"_

_"Acacia, why must it be you?" My mother sank to the ground. "Why must you let the prophecy come true?"_

_Ian stood by the side, watching my every move. Christine was next to him, her glorious body rigid. _

_"Get out of here!" My father bellowed. "Be with whom you want to be! You are no daughter of mine!"_

_"Father, please." Ian begged. _

_"Not another word! Out!"_

_..._

_"I love you." His tanned muscles flexed. "You can't leave me."_

_"Jake, please. I..."_

_"You are as good as sending yourself to death, if you are with Edward." He spat._

_"Don't say that." I pleaded, hurt by the venom in his tone._

_"Whatever. I know you never wanted me, anyway. You used me, that's all."_

_..._

_"Acacia," Granny whispered, as she combed my hair. "You will be marrying Alex today."_

_I stared at the reflection in the mirror._

_"You have been playmates since young. And he will be the perfect husband. Many wish to marry a fine warrior like him."_

_I loved Alex. I loved him so much, that I was even willing to die in his place. But that was before Edward came along._

_"Nanny," My vision started to blur. "What should I do?"_

_She touched my hand. "Alex can take away your pain."_

_I shook my head, sobbing now. _

_..._

A cool, silky cloth was placed over my wound, cooling the burning sensation. I frowned, trying to open my eyes.

"Emily, she's awaking!" A happy voice crowed.

"Let me see," A gentle palm touched my forehead.

"Look, look! Her eyes are opening!"

I coughed, and a strong pair of arms helped me sit up. I looked around, and the first thing I saw was a pair of dark brown eyes, matched with perfectly tanned skin.

"Here, drink some water." He reached for a big cup, and handed it to me.

I drank it down thirstily, choking in the process.

"Whoa. Careful, faerie." He patted my back.

I looked at him, and he grinned, flashing a set of pearly white teeth in contrast with his brown skin. I smiled back timidly and he held out his hand, forward.

"Jacob Black. Nice to meet you."

"Isabella Swan." I whispered.

"Huh. Nice name."

"Thank you."

Another lady was next to him. One side of her face was badly scarred, but she acted as if nothing happened, smiling naturally.

"Hello. My name is Emily." She beamed.

"Hello."

I looked out of the window outside. It was pouring.

"You've been out for two days. Geez." Jacob scratched his head. "What happened to you?"

I leaned back against the soft pillow, and closed my eyes, feeling a lump form in my throat.

Emily and Jacob's eyes were on me.

"Uh...never mind. Forget about the question." Jacob laughed sheepishly.

"Are you hungry?" Emily asked, smiling.

I nodded, touching my stomach.

"I'll go whip a salad for you." She got up, and walked to the little kitchen a metre away.

Jacob and I were silent for awhile. He stared at me, while my gaze trailed to the cream coloured walls around.

"I've never actually met a faerie before." He grinned.

"We're like normal people. Just that we do magic and have wings." I replied, taking another sip of water.

"Huh. But you faeries don't interact with...other kinds, do you?"

I looked at him, and smiled unsteadily. "We interact with others who do not hurt us. For example, your kind. There is an aura around you, which gives me a sense of strength, and unity."

"Of course!" Jacob said with pride and gusto.

"Our king thinks highly of the wolves. He never fails to mention your kind during the council gathering."

"How about vampires?" He asked. His tone was no longer friendly.

I stared into his eyes, feeling a tear burn my icy cheeks. His face softened immediately, and he inched closer towards me, wiping my tears away with a warm, large thumb.

"Sorry. I was just curious." He explained. "For the past two days, you kept calling out to Edward. You even cried out his full name. Edward Anthony Mansen. Must have been hell for you."

Emily left a bowl of lettuce and apples on the table, and quietly walked out of the house.

"Hey, may I call you Bella?" He asked, lightening the mood. "Isabella sounds like a chore to call, though it's a nice name."

I wiped my tears away, and let out a shaky laugh. "Sure."

He chuckled, and patted my head. "There! You look prettier when you smile."

Christine

All the elders turned to me, their eyes filled with pity and sadness.

"Child..." The ancient faerie clasped my hand. "I'm so sorry."

I shook my head, screaming and pulling away. My eyes were sore from the crying, but still, more tears flowed. I slumped against the tree, and fell onto the ground, ignoring the pain that the impact had against my head.

_"Your life is tied to Isabella's. I looked into your future and saw nothing but death. The stronger her love is for Edward Cullen, the nearer your time comes. __Our forefathers have decreed, that the kingdom will be ruined by a princess, but saved by the prince's wife."_

_The wise, old faerie looked at me with sympathy._

_"You were born with a purpose, dear one. When your mother was pregnant with you, we had her drink little spells everyday." He said._

_I clenched my fists. "You were using me. Everything was planned! I am Caladium's wife because of what you did to me when I was young!"_

_"When you die...unlike other faeries, your body will turn into a land of Javs. Large enough for the Volturi to be satisfied."_

_"You were using me all along. The council has been using me!" I shrieked._

_"No." He shook his head. "When you met Caladium, you already had a strong bond with him. And that was not magic. It was love."_

_I looked away, feeling my lips tremble._

_"You know," My voice was thick. "I can never leave him."_

_"I know, child. I know." The elder said gently._

I clutched the vines for support as I walked down the stairs. My tears - they never stopped.

_He wrapped his arms around my waist._

_"Next time, when everything is over, we shall stand here again, with our children running around." He whispered into my ear._

_I smiled. "How many little ones do you want?"_

_He thought about that for awhile. "Twenty four." He joked._

_I laughed, and smacked his arm. "That's not up to you. I'll just have two."_

_"Two? That's not enough."_

_"I'm the one giving birth to them, not you." I kissed his lips._

I walked towards a tree branch, eight feet above ground, and looked out. Beyond that, Ian was with the other warriors. His wings were the largest, and glowed brighter than any others.

"How can I let you go, Ian?" I whispered. "How can I ever let you go, my darling?"

A few other faeries caught sight of me, and nudged Ian's elbow. He looked up, and beamed. I turned around, so that my back was towards him. I wiped my tears dry, and took deep breaths.

"Hey,"

I turned around. Ian was there, floating in the air. My wings started to flutter, and lifted me up. It was as if my whole body slammed against him, as I wound my arms around his neck.


	16. Chapter 16

Isabella

"Princess!" The mer people called out excitedly, waving their arms in the air. My wings had grew back, and they fluttered merrily as I dug my feet into the cool sand beneath.

"Go ahead, Jake. They won't attack unless you're a vampire." I pulled him into the waters. He was reluctant to even step into the sea when he spotted them.

"The only reason why I'm doing this, is because they're your friends, Bella." He dived in, and I followed.

Only when the beach was empty, did the mer people emerge. Their fins glimmered under the sunlight, and rays sparkled off their wet skin. I could hear the laughter of the mermaids as they watched Jacob swim towards them blindly. When he bumped into one of the females, the entire kingdom seemed to laugh.

"Well, who is this?"A handsome merman asked, setting himself up upon a rock.

Bradley was a few years older than me. When I was young, I would sit by the beach, and he would swim up to me. Then, the whole day would be spent swimming with the whales and dolphins.

"Jacob Black. Werewolf." I grinned, as he pulled me up with a muscular arm.

"Seems to be terrified of our girls," He laughed, then stopped abrubtly. "Are you alright, Princess? You look so pale."

"Has any vampires come looking for me during the last two days?" I shifted closer to him, whispering.

He shook his head, dark curls bouncing. "Why? Are they after you?"

I forced a smile, and shook my head. "Just wondering. Almost ran into some the other day." I lied.

"Ah. You should be careful. If you die, that'll be the end."

"What does that mean?" I frowned.

His eyes widened, and he bit his lip. "Nothing."

"No, tell me."

"It's nothing, really."

I grabbed his arm when he was about to jump back into the waters. The mermaids were swimming around Jacob, splashing waters, and laughing in delight. He chuckled, and decided to play along.

Bradley looked disturbed.

"Princess..."

"Yes?"

"I can be exiled from the sea, if I tell you this. But you do know of the prophecy, don't you?" His green eyes reflected the colour of seaweeds.

I nodded my head.

"Within that prophecy, there is another one. A deeper, darker secret that has been kept for centuries. But just yesterday, I have been told by a source that it has come up to light again." He was whispering.

I swallowed, feeling beads of perspiration run across my forehead. "W-What is the inner prophecy?"

He bit his lower lip, before continuing. "Here's the gist of it: The prince's wife - she will die, because of you."

For awhile, I did not know how to breathe. I blinked rapidly, trying to process his words.

"Does my brother know about it?"

He shook his head. "If the prince does find out, there will be chaos in the entire kingdom. Even when he had to leave her for the mission, it was hell. Apparently, his guards had to drag him away from her."

It was so difficult to breathe then. My mind was working fast, trying to come up with a solution. Anything that would help Christine to live.

"Princess, I would suggest that you go back to Ivantide."

"What if she hates me?" I could hear the sheer terror in my voice.

"Face it, then."

"How can you say it so simply?"

He flashed an optimistic smile at me. "After every storm, the sun will shine. You will face the wrath of evil one day. Why not face it now, and get over with it?"

"Will it ever be over?" I gazed into the sea.

"Yes. It will be."

I looked at him, and he patted my shoulder, giving me assurance.

"I'll do what I have to do, then." I said quietly.

Bradley nodded.

"Jake!" I called.

"Yeah?" Jacob swam over to me.

"Listen, I have something to do back in Ivantide. I have to go back now."

He stared at me. "Now?"

"Yes."

"You can't just leave like this, Bella. I mean...you can't go."

"I'll come back soon." I promised.

My wings started to lift me into the air. Jacob's wet hand slipped from mine. Bradley watched my actions knowingly, and held Jacob back. The mer people dived back into the sea quickly.

I soared into the air, landing on the edge of the cliff.

"Isabella," A gentle voice called. I spun around, breathing heavily.

Esme stood in front of me, her stance timid and shy. I did not know if I hated her at that point, or any vampire for that matter. Her caramel coloured hair, her heart shaped face. Everything about her seemed to suppress my anger.

"Do...Do you mind if we have a talk?"

"Make it quick." I walked over to her side.

She pursed her lips, not knowing when to start.

"I'm in a hurry, so..." I hinted.

"Yes. Well, I just wanted to ask you a favor."

"What is it?"

She was quiet for a second, then sighed. "Isabella, I know that you will never forgive me for saying this to you. But, our family is in danger because of the love between you and Edward."

I stared at her, and she looked back at me with grief-stricken eyes. Somehow, I knew what she was going to say. And I fought with those words, those thoughts of leaving him.

"The Volturi has agreed that they will not pursue the matter of Edward letting you go during your first meeting."

How long ago was that? Ten years? Eternity?

"In condition...that you leave him. Never to see him again."

I knew she would say that. I knew it right from the start. But why did my heart ache so much then? Why did it feel as if she had plunged a knife into me?

"I'm so sorry, Bella." Her voice was nearly a whisper. It sounded broken, and pained. "I know that no matter how many times I apologise, you will never forgive me for saying that to you."

A tear rolled down my cheek as I continued to watch her lips move.

"It's not going to work. This relationship was never meant to exist. Edward needs you more than you need him. He loves you more than he loves the rest of the family.

"And you must be thinking how awful I am for depriving my son of his love. But sometimes, a mother's love would go to the extent of driving her son away to protect him."

I drew a shaky breath. "You're just telling me to leave him. Why bother to recite a fairytale?"

She looked at me with sympathy and guilt. I turned away, feeling my soul - my whole being - break into countless of pieces.

"Edward doesn't know about this. He thinks you're never coming back...after you fell off the cliff."

"So what do you want me to do?" I sobbed. "Why is everybody doing this to me?"

She took a step closer, and touched my arm. I cringed away from her.

"Will you tell him? That you will never see him again?" Her gentle voice passed with the wind.

I looked at her, feeling my eyes widen with anger.

"What are you?!" I shouted. "You want me to hurt him. To tell him I'll never see him again?!"

"If I tell him that, he will never believe me. He listens to you now."

I closed my eyes, and shook my head. "I can't hurt him."

"Then do you want to vanish from the surface of _his_ world? Without an explanation? Without any good-byes to him?"

_"Isabella," He laughed, stroking my cheek. "You really are an amazing faerie."_

_"Oh, be quiet!" I said angrily, pulling away from him._

_"Hey hey!" He tightened his arms around my waist, and tried to silence his laughter._

_"What? Going to tease me again?"_

_"No."_

_"Then?"_

_"I just wanted to say...I love you."_

For awhile, I just stared at the ground below. When I looked up, I wiped away my tears, and looked at Esme.

"When can I see him?" I asked.

"Anytime. Right now, I'm trying to block out my thoughts from him."

"You won't have to anymore. I'll see him right away."

Alice

"Is she dead?" Edward whispered, staring at the wall.

Rosalie was leaning against Emmett, watching Edward rock back and forth on his heels, chanting Isabella's name.

"We don't know, Edward. We don't know." Carlisle answered quietly.

I wanted to scream at Edward, to tell him that his behaviour was killing us. It was really pathetic, watching him suffer like this. None of them dared tell him if she was alive or not. Esme had been standing by the cliff, waiting to see any signs of her appearance.

"Esme is coming back." I whispered, caught by a sudden vision of her return. "Along with..."

"With who?" Jasper asked quickly, touching my hand.

I looked at Edward, who jumped up, and sprinted to the door, slamming it open. Carlisle filtered to his side, while Emmett and Rosalie watched, wide eyed. Two figures advanced towards us. One was Esme, the other...

"Isabella!" Edward shouted, running out of the house.

The whole family watched as Edward pulled the disoriented faerie into his arms, visible tears shining in her eyes.


	17. Chapter 17

Isabella

In his arms, I felt as if I had returned home, where it was safe, and warm. The soft sobbing that escaped through his lips - it tore through my skin, and right into my soul. His raw sufferings caused my whole being to ache so badly. The scent of his skin - familiar and intoxicating - filled my lungs.

"You're back," He hugged me closer, kissing the side of my neck.

"Edward..." I whispered.

"I won't leave you again. I'm so sorry, my flower,"

Slowly, I dropped my arms around him, and stepped back, looking into his eyes. I was lost in the sea of honey.

"I need to tell you something," I said softly, holding his hand, and walking deeper into the woods, making sure that the house was out of sight. As we walked, my footsteps became heavier. By the time we reached the stream, my breathings were laboured, and I swayed, falling onto the ground.

"Isabella?" He caught me, and I closed my eyes, trying to even my breaths.

"What's the matter? Are you alright?" He leaned me against his chest.

I opened my eyes, and nodded, kneeling, balancing on my palms. He sat down beside me, so close that I was staring at his full, perfect lips. With shaking hands, I brought my fingers towards him, trailing them over his mouth. He shifted closer still.

"I love you," He whispered, and brought his lips down to mine.

Initially, confusion swept through me. How was I going to tell him? What was Christine doing then? How could I leave him, knowing full well that he would hurt so badly?

Then, knowing that I may never see him again, I pushed everything aside, and entwined my fingers in his soft hair, pulling him closer to me. His arms were wound gently around my waist. My wings fluttered with contentment, and I started to lean back, so that I was lying on the moist earth below, with him above me.

The kiss started to deepen, and everything around me was spinning. I kept wanting more, to bring his body closer to mine, to feel his touch. His cool breath that tickled my ears as he stroked the side of my neck.

With trembling fingers, I unbuttoned the top of his shirt, and slowly worked my way down. I pressed my palm against his bare chest, marvelling at his beauty. His lips trailed down to my throat, where he placed soft kisses around the prominent veins.

When I finished off with the last button, he stopped abruptly, and gazed into my eyes. I wrapped my arms around his waist, trying to reach for his lips.

"Isabella," He murmured, leaning further down. "We can't do this."

"Why not?"

He just shook his head, and balanced on one arm, while he traced the other around my thighs. "Our bodies can never link. There will be a force that will hold us back."

I nodded, and swallowed hard, sitting up along side him. I wiped away a tear that was on the verge of falling.

"Pathetic, aren't we?" I laughed. "We can't even satisfy our needs and wants for each other."

He wrapped an arm around me, and I buried myself under his chin.

"I thought you were never coming back," He said quietly.

I pressed my hand over my mouth, silencing the harsh sobs that were escaping through my lips. Carefully, with both arms on my shoulders, he pulled me back, observing.

"What's the matter?" He crooned, wiping away my tears.

When I looked into his eyes, a surge of pain washed through me. "E-Edward..." I choked.

"What is it, my love?" He asked gently.

I took a few deep breaths, calming my senses. I wound my fingers through his, smiling when our hands looked so perfect together, as if they were meant to be one in the first place.

"Edward," I said softly. "I'm going to tell you something. But you must not interrupt - or I may not be able to continue with...with my story."

He nodded his head. "I promise."

I drew a shaky breath. "When we had met here, along this stream," I pointed to the little channel of flowing water. "We stood on both sides, afraid of either. But now, we sit on one side of the stream, hand in hand. At that time, it felt as if the whole world belonged to us - just you and me."

"But now...the world has decided to turn its back against us. It has stopped revolving."

The huge lump began to form in my throat, somehow begging me to stop talking.

"Edward, right from the beginning, we knew that we were never meant to be. We were naive enough to think that our love would last for eternity."

He stared at me, his body still like a statue. A beautiful one.

"Remember when you told me that you didn't want to be a monster? I called you an angel. When you told me that your flaws were bigger than anyone else, I said that you were perfect.

"Everybody knows that it is impossible for us to be together. Because of a war that is raging, because of the law we cannot break.

"And because of that...today will be our last run together."

For awhile, we stared at each other. When his mouth opened, the words that he spoke were carved deep into my soul. "I love you."

Tears gushed out from my eyes, as I held his hand tighter. "We are ending it here, Edward. We shall never see each other again."

He looked at me, emotionless, as if I had never said anything. "We will. Because we love each other. That's why we will see each other again. Everyday, for the rest of our lives."

I shook my head. "No, Edward, no."

His voice began to tremble. "We promised each other, didn't we? That we will stick together, through thick or thin, rain or shine..."

"That was the past! We have no future ahead!"

"That's not true!"

I shook my head. "There's nothing left for us, Edward."

He grabbed my wrists, and forced me to look into his eyes. "Our love! Our love is still there! Our love is the only reason as to why we are here!"

I pulled away from him, and stood up. He followed suit.

"There is nothing more to say. You and I know that this relationship would never last." I whispered, tired of shouting.

"No," He disagreed. "I always believed that we would last till the very end."

I placed a hand on his cheek, and he held it there. "Edward, let's not do this anymore. Let's just end it here - where it all started."

Immediately, he pulled me into a crushing hug. "No, no, no!"

I rubbed his back, feeling my tears soak into his shirt beneath. "We will go back to our normal lives, as if we had never met - never fell in love."

He shook his head, and the tiny, heart-breaking sobs returned again. He knew that I was going to leave him. Just like I understood from the start what Esme was going to say to me, he _knew_. And just like how I never wanted to admit it, he didn't want to.

"Don't cry, darling," I murmured, fighting back more tears. "You have to be strong to face the future."

"No," He sobbed. "The future is empty - a blank piece of paper."

I pulled back and unhooked my necklace. "This was given to me by an elder from my clan. It keeps one strong even in the weakest of times."

I reached up, and hooked it around his neck.

"I have nothing to give you," His beautiful face was twisted in pain.

"You gave me love - the greatest gift." I replied. "Thank you, Edward Cullen. For everything you have given me - I can never thank you enough."

Edward

Her voice sang with the wind as she thanked me. She was right - I knew right from the start that we would never last. What kept me from facing the truth? Did I just want to see that pair of beautiful brown eyes everyday? Or play with the elks with her?

"I should be going," She whispered.

I touched the necklace. It was the shape of a fire's flame, and through the hard, cold metal, I could feel the intense burning of heat beneath. Gently, I placed a kiss on her forehead, letting the feeling linger.

She smiled - a soft, quiet sadness loomed around us.

I couldn't bear to leave her. To watch her go - it pained my wretched heart. Knowing that I will never see her again. But, like what everyone else said, I knew that there would be a time when she would leave.

_I guess the time was now_.

"Isabella?" I called, when she started to walk away.

She turned to face me, tears streaming. For the last time, I gazed at her flawless being - the only girl who had captured my heart.

"Goodbye." I said.

She closed her eyes, and re-opened them a second later. "Goodbye," Her voice was barely a whisper.

She walked on and on, until her shadow was all but a tiny dot in the vast land of eternity.


	18. Chapter 18

Isabella

I walked down the leaf-filled path. Green, brown, orange - the leaves gathered perfectly around me. The sunlight reflected the loose sprinkles of water. They hopped off the rocks in silver and gold diamonds.

For awhile, I stared at my surroundings, unconvinced that I was back in Ivantide. The trees, with cherry-red apples dangling down, while the bees flew in and out of their honey combs. Eagles soared through the air, their eyes bright and alert.

"Hello, Acacia," A quiet voice greeted.

I turned around. The tall, majestic faerie took four steps forward, his ash blond hair cropped short, with startling grey eyes.

"Alex." I whispered.

He smiled, a pair of dimples forming at the side of his smooth cheeks. Gently, he wrapped his arms around my shoulders, and rubbed my back. I went limp in his arms.

"I'm tired," I said, wiping a tear away from the corner of my eye.

"I knew you would say that," He replied softly. "You always had this look when you were tired - ever since a young-ling."

"Where's Christine?"

"She's sitting by the river."

I took a step back, and nodded. "I will go see her now."

When I turned, he took my hand, and pressed himself against my back lightly. "My love for you has never faded away," He said. "I am willing to wait for eternity. Even though your heart belongs to another, mine holds firmly to yours,"

I bowed my head, watching as the leaves beneath grew cloudy. Not knowing how to answer his question, my wings carried me up, and fluttered away quietly.

It seemed like a long journey to the river. When I reached, the air around was glimmering - as if looking through a sparkling clear glass block. Christine sat, leaning against a large, brown rock.

"Christine," I knelt down next to her.

She looked up, her pale lips stretching into a weak smile. At that moment, everything seemed to stop moving. My focus was only on the beautiful faerie sitting before me, wearing a dress that was the colour of the sky. Her long, fair curls seemed to glow along with her skin.

"I'm sorry..." I choked, unable to contain the tears that were spilling out every second.

Reaching out, she touched my hand - like a feather's - and shook her head. "Don't be," Her voice was painfully weak. "There is nothing wrong with falling in love, Acacia."

"That's just it," I could feel my face crumpling. "Because of what I've done...of what I did, you are paying with your life."

With shaking hands, she shook her head. "Don't cry. There is no shame in dying, Isabella. For my people, I am willing to give up everything. As the prince's wife, it is my duty to..." She stopped, panting slightly. "It is my duty to protect them."

I looked at her. Even when she spoke, it was painful. "Christine...I wish...I really wish that I could exchange my life with yours."

"No," She shifted closer to me. "Don't wish that. I was born to die, Acacia. I was put on this earth to die for my people. It is my destiny."

For awhile, I did not speak. Loud, harsh sobs escaped through my lips, as she stroked my hair.

"Take care of Ian, please," Her voice was softer now. "He is praying now, hoping that my life will be spared. But we both know that it will never be so. The only person I can't bear to leave is him - my first love."

"I will, C-Christine," I promised, feeling every part of me tear apart.

She smiled, her long eye lashes battering as the sun shone on her.

"Camellia..." A broken voice was next to me.

I couldn't even look at my brother now, as tears poured down my face.

"Hi, baby," Her voice was barely a whisper. "Didn't work, did it?"

He shook his head. "No," He choked.

"Promise me something, Ian."

"Anything, my love," He kissed her hair, drawing a shaky breath.

"If...if we ever meet again, in heaven...you will walk up to me, and take my hand, just like how we'd met in the forest. D-Don't walk past me," Her voice cracked. "Because if you do, I will be very, very sad..."

"When we meet again, I will take you in my arms, and hold you close." Ian fought to keep his tears away.

She sighed, smiling, with tears swimming in her eyes. "If we meet again, I will want you to be my husband for eternity."

"I already am..." He swallowed.

She nodded, smiling. "Ian..."

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

She was quiet, listening to the music of nature. "Next time...our children will play in the field...laughing." She whispered.

"They will."

I looked at Ian. His sorrow seemed to seep into the waters, and they were still.

"Goodbye, Ian, Isabella..."

_"Hey!" She shouted happily. "You can't say goodbye."_

_I laughed, while Ian broke into a charming smile. He waved at her, and she came running back, sulking._

_"We're going to see each other again!" She punched his shoulder lightly. "So, see you soon. 'Goodbye' sounds like we're parting forever. We're not."_

_"See you soon, Christine," My stomach hurt from laughing._

_She grinned, and looked to Ian. He chuckled, and kissed her full on the lips. "See you soon, baby."_

_"See you!" She skipped away. "Remember! No more goodbyes! Just 'see you soon'!"_

"Goodbye, Christine..." Ian hugged her closer to him, sobbing now.

"Goodbye, my sister." I leaned my head against hers.

She breathed heavily. "This is it," Her voice was so soft, I was so afraid that she would leave then. "My last leap. After today, my body will be given to the Volturi."

Ian shook his head, unable to speak.

"Don't cry," Her eyes were starting to close. "I'll be flying around...remember to look out for me. I will always be with you."

"Christine!" I shook her arm. "No, please! Please don't go!"

Her breath came out ragged. "Goodbye..."

As gently as a petal fell to the ground, her eyes closed slowly. I stared at her unmoving body, wishing - wishing so hard that she would wake up, and tell me that it was just a little prank that we played when we were young.

_But she didn't._

Her spirit floated up, carried by the wind. Ian's face crumpled, and he wailed, pulling her limp body in his arms.

On that day, we lost a ray of happiness that outshone everything else in the world.

There she went...a little piece of sunshine.

...

_An elder told me, that when one is in the greatest of despair, no tears would fall. Just pain that nothing can signify._

When I watched her body being taken away, I had no more tears left to shed. Ian stumbled behind blindly, with our father supporting him. It started with me, falling in love, in exchange for her life.

The Volturi received her body, and placed her on the ground. With a little charm, her body was gone. In place, was a vast land of Javs. And they were satisfied. There was no more greed in their eyes, just happiness. While the rest of us wept.

Tell me, was that fair?

No, it wasn't. Because Christine was a fascinating faerie. She was the kindest being on earth. People mourned for her. I could feel my mother's body heaving with grief. Alex kept an arm around me, tears falling.

But I didn't cry.

She had told me not to.

And, like a little sister, I obeyed her.


	19. Chapter 19

Isabella

I wished I could tell you that Christine came back again - well and alive.

_But she didn't._

I wished I could tell you that Ian smiled the slightest bit after she was gone.

_But he didn't._

I wished I could tell you that the whole world cried, and wailed for her.

_But that didn't happen._

Everything just went on, as if she had never had gone in the first place. For months, years, Ian sat beside the river, staring at the waters. He told me that sometimes, he could hear her singing to him at night.

I believed him. Christine could work miracles. She could make one laugh when despair was in the air.

After ten years, Ian never spoke of her again. He took over the throne, and reigned as our people's king.

_Without a queen._

...

It was twenty years later, that I decided to return back to Forks.

I found myself sitting by the stream again, looking over to the other end - looking into his golden eyes.

We didn't change. I was still sixteen, and he was seventeen.

We smiled at each other, but never crossed the stream. Just like when we had first met, we stood on either side of the stream, watching.

"Hi," I whispered.

"Hello."

I smiled, and took a deep breath.

"You're married," He said.

I nodded. "Alex proposed...ten years ago."

He grinned, though it didn't meet his eyes. "I heard you have a child."

"Yes."

"What's his name?"

"Edward." I said softly.

His eyes searched mine, wondering. I blinked, and forced a smile.

"I came by to visit Jacob," I said.

He nodded. We stood there, staring again and again into each others eyes.

"I guess...we really weren't meant to be." His velvet voice was soft.

"Mythical creatures never get happy endings," I whispered. "Princesses in fairy tales get theirs. But we are mythical beings. We belong to the world of myths, where there are hardly many happy endings."

"That's true." He shrugged. "It's just too bad we're part of mythology."

I blinked, and smiled again. "I should get going."

We both stared at each other. For the last time.

"Goodbye." He lifted his hand, and waved.

"Goodbye."

...

I wish I could tell you that this story had a happy ending. But no, you are not reading a fairytale, dear reader. This is a myth, where in reality, things are left hanging - without a joyous end.


	20. Chapter 20

Hey! Just an extra chapter in thanks for all who have reviewed :) Thank you, and enjoy!

* * *

Isabella

_"Edward is missing?"_

The cup slipped from my hands, clattering onto the ground. Ian looked up, alarmed by the sudden movements which occurred at the same moment. Alex was on his heels, dashing out of the dining hall.

I followed, running hurriedly to our room. My soul pounded like a mad hammer, urging me to quicken my footsteps.

Alex barged through the wooden doors, and ran towards the nest-like crib next to our bed. He turned to face me, his grey eyes wide. "He's not here, Bella."

Tears sprang into my eyes immediately. "Where is he? He was sleeping just a few minutes ago."

Alex flew to me, holding my face close to his. "Don't cry," He said softly, soothingly. "We will find him. I promise."

I held his hand, fighting more chokes. "This isn't the first time. It took us days to search for him the last round. What should we do if -"

"Bella, Bella," He pulled me into his chest. "It's okay. Everything is fine."

"My lord," A guard greeted. "We have prepared the army for the search."

I pulled away, and dried my tears. "Please find him. He's so young, so small..."

"Hush, darling," Alex soothed. "We will find him. You just stay here, and wait for our return. Do you understand?"

I nodded numbly.

"I love you," He whispered, and placed a soft kiss on my forehead.

The next moment, he was gone, soaring into the air with his majestic wings.

...

Forks was the last place in the world I vowed never to return to.

But I could sense my little boy around - a motherly instinct that drew the both of us closer together through the years. My wings were in full bloom under the sun.

The forest around had changed. There were lesser trees and more dead, broken logs on the ground.

As I ventured deeper, the sense became stronger. My baby was around, close.

"...and my Mum is the best, most beautiful faerie ever!" A little voice crowed. "She tells me about the world, and so much more. My Dad loves her a lot, I can tell. It's like...well, I don't know how to explain it."

I took a step closer, listening to the conversation.

"Does your Dad take you on adventures?" The voice hit me like a lost, painful memory.

"Yeah! He flies with his mighty wings and takes me along to see the mountains and rivers. I love my Dad. He's my hero."

The lower, deeper voice chuckled.

"Edward," I called.

Instantly, two heads snapped in my direction. Two pairs of eyes looked at me - golden and chocolate brown. Edward dropped his apple and ran towards me.

"Mum!" He dashed into my arms. I held him close to me, relieved by the sweet scent of his body.

"Where were you?" I demanded. "Did you know how worried Daddy and I were?"

He grimaced. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to fly out into the human world. You told me stories about them, and I wanted to see for myself." His little fingers stroked my cheeks. "Don't cry, Momma. I'm sorry."

I smiled, amidst the tears, and carried him. He clung onto my neck.

"Oh! That man has the same name as me, Mum!" He chirped. "He helped me when I got lost the last time as well."

I looked up. Edward - the Edward I once loved - smiled. For the past century, we had not seen each other. He looked the same with his bronze curls and crooked grin.

"How are you?" I asked softly.

"Good. You?"

"I'm fine."

He nodded. "Your son is really intelligent."

I felt the corners of my lips pull up. "Do you still reside in Forks?" I inquired.

He chuckled. "No. We have moved to Canada. I just came by to visit the Denli coven - my extended family."

We savoured a moments' silence, before Little Edward broke the quiet. "Can he come visit us?" He asked me.

Edward looked bemused. "Maybe some other time, we'll meet again, twin."

_Twin. _They had already formed a close bond.

"I guess, twin," My baby agreed. He scrambled down and ran up to Edward. He held up his hand, and they did a series of handshakes. They laughed at the same time.

"Bye, twin," They hugged each other.

The sound of fluttering caught our attention. Alex was near. Edward caught my gaze nodded. He ruffled Little Edward's hair, and disappeared into the trees.

"Ed?"

"Daddy!"

Alex emerged, relief fierce in his eyes. He scooped Edward into a tight hug and kissed his cheeks. "Where were you?"

"Just exploring," Edward grinned.

"Don't ever put me through this again, understand?"

"Yes, Dad."

My eyes never left the trees where he'd disappeared.

"Bella?"

I turned back to Alex. "Yes?"

"Let's go home," He smiled.

I nodded and beamed. Alex started walking ahead, with Edward on his shoulders, chattering away happily.

When I turned back, I saw his golden eyes. They were smiling, as if to say, 'Mythical creatures get their happy endings too.'


End file.
